Nobody
by Leiyoi
Summary: AU. When two nobodies meet, they become...? A story that begins in a land of snow. There is magic, despair, and imprisonment... but above all that, hope and the bonds of trust between two lonesome people. ZoLu.
1. Chapter 1

**.:.**

_It was bright outside. Almost as if the sun's energy sparkled within every speck of the earth. A hand rested upon a boy's shoulder. The wide grin and pitying eyes looked down upon him. Suddenly, a dozen hands reached out, grabbing at the boy's head, arms, clothes, legs, face. And then it wasn't bright anymore. The boy sits in deafening silence, blinking blindly. His hands are bound. Feet are bound. Iron shackles tinkle across the floor as the boy struggles. He stops and a lone tear falls from his eyes._

"_Mister, why won't you let me out?"_

_His fists pound on the floor and the walls. They are bleeding. The wide grin and pitying eyes still reverberate in the boy's vision. But all is dark. The boy is blind._

"_Mister, please open up! It's dark in here!"_

_Another tear. Pounding against the walls until bruises form. He shouts. No one hears. No one responds. But then he feels a hand on his head. Hope? He winces as his hair is suddenly grappled roughly. A slicing sound comes from nearby. He shivers. What is it? What is it? There is a sudden stinging pain and coldness on his head. His scalp feels bare and cold. The people are not there anymore._

**.:.**

"…ther scholars say that certain people are linked in soul form and are bound to each other even after reincarnation." A woman wearing a dark blue suit and skirt stood at the front of the room, peering down her nose through her glasses at the floppy textbook lying on the podium. A silver cross shaped insignia with a blooming lily flower, etched delicately over the middle of the cross, was pinned over the woman's breast, gleaming proudly in the bright sunlight that was flooding in through the windows. The rays of rectangular yellow light spread its warmth across the classroom, creeping slowly over the students. One ray of light reached a lone boy with raven hair, sleeping soundly on his desk. He slurped up the dribble flowing from his mouth and looked up for a moment, squinting at the sun through heavy eyelids.

"A dream…?" He mumbled incoherently and then sighed contently at the warm rays of sunlight beaming over his face. He slowly set his head back down in his arms, snoring softly again.

In the distance, a low bell rung, echoing over the entire school, causing every teacher to pause in their lectures. The woman reluctantly closed the textbook on the podium shut and sighed. "All right, we'll pick up again next class." Students rummaged around in their bags, packing their things up while the teacher tried to shout over the noise of scraping seats and chattering students. "Don't forget about the exam that we will be having next class! Study well!" She frowned as her students rushed out the door excitedly, completely ignoring her, eager to go and have a good lunch. The woman picked up her floppy textbook from the podium and glanced towards the classroom. The raven haired boy, still sleeping in the rectangular pool of light, lifted a hand up to lazily scratch at his hair before returning to his slumber. The teacher shook her head exasperatedly and walked up the steps. She stood right next to the black haired boy and reached out an index finger to the boy. Then, after a sharp jab to his back, she frowned down at him and observed him jump up in his seat with fright.

"I didn't take your lunch! The answer to 12,364 times 37 is 512,784!" His shout erupted loudly from his chest as he stood up with a startled look across his face. The boy blinked for a moment and then sat back down in his seat. Then, he turned to his side and noticed his teacher frowning down at him with both hands on the sides of her hips. "Oh! It's just you, Professor!" He smiled and then peered around her, witnessing the empty classroom. "Where'd everyone else go?"

The woman closed her eyes, trying to calm the itch in her hands that wanted to knock the boy's face into a wall. "Monkey D. Luffy… you fell asleep in class again…? And why is your first response like that? And 12,364 times 37 is **not** 512, 784. It's 457,468!" She growled ferociously and then rubbed at her temples, "Why do you keep falling asleep in class? Am I really that boring?"

"Hah?" The raven haired boy blinked and tilted his head to the right, not really registering the woman's words. He glanced around the classroom, still curious as to why there was nobody in the classroom except him and his professor. The woman sighed and stepped back, knowing that the next thing she would be telling him would very likely kill her or at least cause her great physical harm.

"Never mind," She waved a hand at her last student dismissively, "Everyone left the class. The bell rung so it's lunchtime…" The woman trailed off as she spoke to the now empty chair of Luffy's seat. A faint puff of dust around the table was the only thing that gave evidence of there ever being anyone even there. She tried hard not to giggle as she heard the unmistakable yell of 'LUNCH!' echoing down the halls of school and then shifted the floppy textbook in her arms, smiling at the empty seat the boy had just been sitting in. Well, that was Monkey D. Luffy for you. Always so carefree and full of life… when he wasn't sleeping that is.

**.:.**

For most of the day, the school cafeteria was nearly empty with only a few students sitting in the seats, muttering to each other and gossiping softly about the latest rumor of couples and work to be finished by the end of the week. But once noon time came around, the cafeteria seemed almost unrecognizable. Students from every grade gathered together, teeming in through the doors, drawn to the fragrance of fresh food being served over the counters from the kitchen. They were like a pack of wolves or a pile of ants, circling the counters like vultures, nearly crawling over each other in search for their food.

Monkey D. Luffy quickly joined the throng of students, pushing his way into the people. He peered over the heads of the students and watched in shock as the last few loaves of pumpkin bread were being passed out. He pouted sadly, battling desperately through the waves of students in order to reach the kitchen counter. But it was to no avail. There were just too many people…! And it was so squishy… He frowned and scratched at his head. If only he could do something… like stretch his hands to grab the bread… The boy smiled to himself at his ingenious idea and reached a hand up to pluck one strand of black hair from his head. He drew it to his mouth and whispered softly to the hair. Then, with a sharp blow, he sent the strand of black hair into the air, dissipating in a breath of dust. Gradually, he could feel his entire body tingle. The tingling feeling was spreading from the tips of his toes to the very ends of his hair. As if a warm, pulsating energy were surrounding him. He smirked and drew his arm back, nearly hitting another student's nose with his elbow, and then he flung his arm towards the last loaf of pumpkin bread in the lunch lady's hands. Luffy laughed wildly as he watched his arm stretch out and fly across the heads of the students surrounding the kitchen counter. As the students stopped moving and shouting to watch the stretching arm over their heads, the boy hastily grabbed the bread and grinned cheerily as his arm came bouncing back to him, snapping elastically back in place. Holding up the pumpkin bread victoriously, he shouted with enthusiasm, "Yeah! I got the last pumpkin bread!"

Furious faces turned to frown at the raven haired boy, watching him disapprovingly, and the person who had originally been the owner of the last pumpkin bread glared at Luffy. He pointed accusingly at him with an index finger and shouted so that everyone could hear him. "Hey! He just used his hair magic! He just used his hair to make his arms stretch longer!" Another student crossed her arms over her chest, scowling at Luffy.

"Isn't that against the rules? You're not supposed to use your hair for trivial purposes."

Luffy frowned in annoyance and clutched the pumpkin bread to his chest, getting brown orange crumbs all over his dark blue uniform. "Pumpkin bread isn't trivial! Look at all the people who are fighting to get the last pumpkin bread!" He protested loudly, challenging anyone else to argue against him. The students scowled at him, staring at him in disgust as if he were a cockroach. Looking down on him as if he were a being that could be quickly expended and forgotten as vermin. He pouted back at them, angry at the way they were watching him. There was nothing wrong with using magic! They were all looking at him as if he were an alien. A foreigner who didn't belong with the rest of them. But all of them could all use hair magic, too. Just like him. They weren't any different…

"Out of my way...!" An irritated voice barked from the edge of the cafeteria doors. The students stepped back, forming a path towards Luffy who was standing in the midst of the students. They grinned maliciously at Luffy, knowing that the black haired boy would inevitably face the consequences for breaking the school rules. Luffy merely frowned, holding the loaf of pumpkin bread in his hands. A tall, skinny man wearing an entirely black suit and a top hat walked slowly down the path made by the students. He walked up to Luffy, towering over him. Then he stared threateningly down at Luffy from under the brim of his black hat. "You again? When will you ever learn?"

The boy merely ripped off a piece of the pumpkin bread and popped it into his mouth, chewing contently. The man grabbed Luffy by the head with his large hands and pushed him out of the cafeteria doors, leaving the students in the cafeteria to return to their hustle, feeling as though justice had been served. The tall man pushed Luffy towards a glass door roughly, nearly making the boy stumble. He smirked at the boy and plucked the bread from Luffy's hands, "Time to meet the Principal."

Luffy pouted and watched the pumpkin bread in the man's hands longingly. He eyed the man cautiously and then made a quick grab for the bread. But the man caught on quickly and lifted the bread away from Luffy's reach, glaring mercilessly down upon the boy. Luffy lowered his eyes and sighed, reaching a hand up to the glass door knob. Maybe when he came back out, the guy would give the bread back to him…?

The black haired boy entered the glass office and was temporarily blinded by the sunlight shooting in through the window. He squinted his eyes and found the familiar shadowy figure of a man sitting in a large chair. Luffy stepped forward and took his seat in a chair made of crystal, a chair he had sat in for far too many times.

"Monkey D. Luffy. This is getting ridiculous." The boy heard the principal's voice boom lowly, almost on the verge of anger. "How many times must the school tell you not to use your hair magic for trivial things? You do understand that your hair contains your life energy and that when you use it, you are also using up your own life?"

Luffy opened his mouth to protest but the principal slammed a hand down on the table, silencing the boy. He pouted and glared up into the sly looking eyes of the principal. Luffy really didn't like this person. Especially the rules this person made. Why did he have to restrict the students from using their natural born magic outside of class? What the principal told everyone wasn't true! Using up his own life? That was all a lie! Sure, every time he used his hair to work magic, he felt a little less lively. But, the next day, he'd be all ok again! It wasn't as if his life was being depleted every time he used his magic. If they had the power, they should use it normally! Or was the principal afraid of the students going out of control? The boy frowned and stared defiantly back at the principal's face that was almost completely hidden by the glaring light pouring in through the window. The principal sneered back and leaned forward, as if to tell the boy that he wouldn't win against his authority. "You know the consequences. You must stay after school doing various jobs for the teachers and workers until sundown. I will assign you extra homework as well." Luffy groaned and rolled his eyes in frustration. He would be skipping dinner again… The principal continued sternly, "If you don't change your behavior soon, I have no choice but to expel you from school, understood?" The black haired boy stood up pouting but then nodded obediently. "Good, you are dismissed."

Luffy pushed his way out of the glass office and sighed in annoyance. Another full day of being punished for using magic. He wouldn't be able to get back until late at night… Well, he'd just eat more for his midnight snack…! And besides, he still had pumpkin bread! He smiled at that thought and glanced to his left, searching expectantly for the tall man who had stolen his bread. But no one was standing there. The black haired boy growled angrily and fisted a hand. Why that guy… he took his pumpkin bread! Luffy cracked his knuckles and was about to sprint down the bright hallways, scouring the school for his pumpkin bread, when the low tolling of the bell in the school clock rang, signaling the start of class again. The boy stopped mid-step in his run and then drooped, pouting sadly. Well… he still had his midnight snack to look forward to…

**.:.**

"Used your magic again, eh, Luffy? You probably get the most practice out of everyone else in school. Maybe you'll grow bald soon!" A man with red hair chuckled at the black haired boy, who was holding a broom in his hands. The man packed a few books into his bag and then smiled gently at the boy. "So what did you do this time?"

Luffy frowned at the floor and swept at one of the corners of the room, brushing out a few puffs of dust into a pan on the ground. "They say it was a trivial thing but everyone was fighting over the pumpkin bread…" He stared at the ground thoughtfully and then sneezed from the dust that had he had accidentally inhaled. The red haired man laughed and leaned against the podium at the front of the room, watching the boy in interest.

"Ah, so you must've done something like using your hair to make your arms stretch and grab the pumpkin bread, right?"

Luffy blinked in surprise and quickly wiped his nose across his uniform sleeve. "How'd you know, Professor?" The man chuckled heartily and slapped the top of the podium a few times.

"So I got it right? That's what you did?"

Luffy nearly flushed in embarrassment, pouting at the laughing professor. The red haired man smiled lazily and slung his bag over his shoulder, readying to leave the room.

"Well, I assume you know what to do, Luffy. I'll see you tomorrow. And don't eat too much tonight." He smirked and started leaving out the door. But Luffy stopped the man by reaching a hand out.

"Ah, wait!" Luffy averted his eyes to the ground. The red haired professor blinked in surprise but turned around and smiled at the boy, waiting patiently. Luffy looked back up and then fisted his hands around the broom stick. "Why is it that the principal doesn't want us to use our magic? Isn't it natural for us to use it?"

The man smiled and reached out a hand to pat the boy's head. "Yeah, I don't think he should restrict you guys either but…" He trailed off, staring thoughtfully into the classroom. Luffy curiously watched the red haired professor. The man smirked and ruffled Luffy's hair, "But you shouldn't keep on using your magic so recklessly either. You should use your magic to help others. Not just yourself!"

The boy's mouth formed an 'o' and then he smiled, thinking about the professor's words. He should use his magic to help others! But he frowned again in disappointment. "But who can I use my magic on? No one wants my help." The professor blinked in surprise and then slapped his forehead.

"Ah right, you live by yourself. How could I forget?" He rubbed his chin and then glanced down at the boy, "Your friends…?"

"Don't have any." Luffy said simply, looking up at the red haired man. The man, in turn, nearly stumbled. He quickly righted himself up and smiled sheepishly.

"Ahh… well then… uhh…" The professor scratched his head and then sighed, moving to put his hands on Luffy's shoulders. "Just… use your magic to help the people who need help…" The boy blinked for a moment and then smiled in understanding. The red haired man grinned and gave the boy one last pat on the shoulder before waving good bye and leaving the classroom.

Luffy stood in the empty classroom, sweeping at the floors. He pondered on the professor's words for a while. What did he mean by people who needed help? Who would those people be…? The boy slowed in his sweeping and he moved to sit next to the window, staring dully out at the vast field of snow outside while setting his broom against a nearby wall. The bright rays of sunlight were sparkling against the white snow, ever flowing with energy. He sighed, watching as the last of the students left the school, laughing together. No one really needed any help here… Everyone was happy and content with their lives. They had everything they ever needed or wanted. Magic powers, time for leisure, families, friends, food, shelter, a place for education…

But were there other people? Other people who needed help?

As the boy watched the blinding sun dance its blazing tango over the snowy lands, he started to imagine what it was like outside of this place. The place beyond this barren white land. Was there a place where none of this bright snow existed? Where nights and sunsets came as often as day? A place where the sun burned the very ground? Or towns and villages and schools full of color? Were there people out there, waiting for someone like him to come by and help them from their problems…? Luffy's eyes started to close slowly and his head fell against the cold glass window as he dreamed and dreamed of those faraway lands. Maybe… just maybe… someone out there needed him. And maybe… just maybe… he would meet that someone…

**.:.**

The walls were pulsating with energy, condensed almost to a pure and crystallized form. But everything was dark. He couldn't see a thing. He could only feel the heavy cold shackles against his skin, chained to his wrists and ankles. There was also an empty and oppressing feeling in his heart. So very empty. And anxious. He could hear his slow heart beat suddenly quicken and then steady at irregular paces. This feeling… it was emptier and drier than anything that he had ever felt before…

"Who…?" A deep yet soft voice called out from the darkness.

"Who's there?" Luffy answered back, opening his eyes to his widest possible size, trying to find a light source to pin point the person the voice belonged to. He was feeling very puzzled by the sudden restrictions of his movement and the overwhelming feelings in his heart. He had never been in such a place before… with walls pulsating with so much life energy and a darkness that could swallow a person's mentality. Where was he…? The ebony haired boy ventured one step further, the farthest the shackles would allow him to move. "Who just talked?" He asked again into the darkness.

"Who…?" The deep voice answered back again, a little more shakily than before.

…_ther scholars say that…_

Luffy suddenly felt his heart explode with anxiety. He knew this feeling… only what he felt was usually just a dull throb in his chest. Anytime he watched a family walk by, happily holding hands, or when two good friends laughed together, chattering excitedly while ignoring him, this feeling would surface. It would form a dry lump in his throat that made it hard to swallow or breathe. It had hurt… but compared to this... He clutched his heart and shut his eyes tightly, stopping the tears from leaking out from his eyes. Why were there so many painful feelings...! The boy nearly threw up from the loneliness he was feeling. From the constant paranoia. The fear. What was wrong with him right now? Where was he? Why was he feeling this way when there was no reason to feel like this?

…_bound to each other…_

It was suffocating. His heart was aching. Swelling, engorged with air. But at the same time, his heart was a dry lump of cracked earth, crumbling slowly in his chest. Luffy choked and bowled over. His gut was squirming so badly… He never felt so lonely and scared in all his life…! There was something soft brushing against his hands and knees as he bent over, clutching at his heart and stomach.

"Who are…?" The deep and foreign voice called out again, uncertainly, probing cautiously in the dark.

…_linked in soul form… even after reincarnation…_

Luffy didn't know how, but in someway he had managed to figure out that the soft thing against his hands and knees were strands of hair. He couldn't see them. And over the tumult of feelings in his chest, he found that he didn't even have enough energy to feel the hair carefully or think about the hair. But he just knew. Like instinct. He knew that right now, he was touching his own hair. His own long strands of hair…

**Other scholars say that certain people are linked in soul form and are bound to each other even after reincarnation…!**

"Who… are you?"

**.:.**

A pair of eyelids snapped open, revealing frightened brown eyes, glowing palely. The irises darted right and left and then finally settled upon a point straight ahead. Shimmering moonlight flew in through the window, gently illuminating the raven haired boy leaning against the window. Luffy glanced around his surroundings in confusion, taking in the empty chairs and empty tables of the classroom he had been assigned to clean.

"A dream…?" The black haired boy blinked and glanced out the window, watching the sparkling stars and round blue moon hanging high in the dark skies. He lifted a hand to his heart and clutched at his chest, remembering every nauseous feeling from the bizarre dream. He remembered the soft hair that he had felt on his hands and knees… but that wasn't his hair… Who was it?

He shivered from the steep drop in temperature compared to the afternoon and rubbed his arms viciously, trying to regain some warmth. How long had he been sleeping? The boy breathed out a sigh against the window, teeth chattering, and he watched as the glass fogged from his breath. As he sat all alone in the classroom, trying to warm himself up and calm himself from the nerve wracking dream, the snowy land outside of the school walls seemed to grow ever darker. _It must be almost eight or nine o'clock…_ Luffy mused to himself, frowning slightly. It was so late! Yet he still had to finish cleaning the classroom and the other rooms down the hall…! Ah well, he'd just have to do everything with extra gusto and finish as fast as possible! The boy stood up abruptly and grabbed his broom stick from the wall. Then, with a clumsy twirl, he made a pose, banging the end of the broom on the floor and pumping a fist in determination. "Yosh!" He nodded and ran towards the opposite wall to switch on the lights so that it would be easier to find all of the dirty spots on the floor. He flicked on the light switch made out of clear crystal and smiled, waiting for the lights to come on. The usual yellow lights didn't radiate around the room and Luffy frowned, staring at the round crystal lamps, hanging against the walls. Did they all need to be replaced…? He flicked the crystal switch off and on again, waiting expectantly for the lamps to burst into light. But no such thing occurred. The blue moon still shone in the air, almost as if mocking the black haired boy at his bad luck.

Luffy crossed his arms over his chest and let out a loud 'humph!' There must've been something very wrong… the lights _always_ worked. Always! None of them had ever gone out or even grown dim before. Or at least, the boy never remembered seeing any dead lamps or flickering lights on campus… He walked towards one of the round lamps hanging on the wall and reached a hand up to tap the crystal. Just what exactly powered these things anyway…? Luffy scratched his head. Come to think of it, why hadn't he thought of that before? He peered closely at the lamp and noticed that nothing was inside. The lamp was only an empty cavity. Luffy shrugged and poked at the crystal a few more times. It was pretty normal… the lights in this land all came from these crystals. But for some reason… these crystals weren't working today. Maybe there was something wrong with the thing that gave the crystals light? Then, he'd have to fix it! But where could that thing be…? In the central control room? Did the school have something like a central control room …? If they did, the most suspicious place would be… the basement where no one but the principal was allowed to go to! The boy's ears perked up as he felt his stomach flop excitedly. This sounded like… an adventure…! He grinned and left the classroom hastily in order to find the elevator no one but the principal was allowed to use.

His broom stick dragged along behind him as he rounded another corner in the dark corridors of his school. _Ta ta ta ta!_ The broomstick smacked the ground loudly at every bounce Luffy took. The sound echoed from hall to hall, but there was no one in the school to hear it. The raven haired boy skidded to a stop in front of an impressive looking elevator. The doors were made of glass and there were foggy looking engravings of the school emblem—a cross and a lily flower—etched into both sides of the door. Luffy's eyes grew round in excitement. He had always wanted to try riding this elevator at least once…! Now he had the chance to actually try it. The boy grinned widely and noticed a steel panel on the side of the white wall. He used his thumb to press the silver button on the panel and stepped back, waiting for the elevator doors to open.

After a few seconds of waiting, Luffy crossed his arms over his chest in annoyance. What took it so long? The school only had two floors, after all. The ground floor and the basement. The elevator didn't have to take so long just to reach the ground floor, did it? Unless if the basement was really far below ground? Luffy frowned and stared at the elevator impatiently. Then, he finally noticed the absence of the usual lights that always lit up to signal the elevator's movement. Did the elevator also use the same energy as the lamps…? He glanced down the hall he had come from and stared at the darkness and silence of the entire school. Maybe everything couldn't work properly because whatever powered the lights and elevator broke down?

Luffy smiled. Then, he'd just have to go and fix it! He started running towards one of the classrooms, remembering the forbidden stairs he had accidentally found one day while cleaning after school. A teacher had stopped him from going in, saying that it was too dangerous to go to unknown places… but perhaps the stairs led down to the basement! If he couldn't use the elevator, the stairs would be his only hope to rescuing the school from its power shortage! The boy halted in front of a door and slid it open. He peered inside, noticing how dark the classroom was getting without the lights. Luffy frowned, glancing out one of the windows. Judging from the position of the moon, it seemed to be around nine or ten o'clock now... it was getting late, but Luffy would never pass up the opportunity at having an adventure! His eyes searched the room for the hidden spot where the staircase should've been. It had been a while since he was assigned to clean in this room… he couldn't remember exactly where the secret staircase was. The boy walked towards the back wall of the classroom and rapped his knuckles against the white wallpaper, listening closely. _Ka ka..._ Luffy knocked softly, pressing his ear close to the wall. _Ka ka…_ He tapped again in another spot. _Kok._ The boy drew back and smirked, knocking the spot again. _Kok kok._ He grinned and studied the area carefully. Then, he noticed a part of the wallpaper peeling. The peel of wallpaper was just slightly out of reach, but Luffy knew that if he stretched he could reach the corner of wallpaper. The boy immediately stood up on his toes and grabbed the flap and pulled down. With a rip that sounded like a clap of thunder in the silence of the school, the wallpaper split in half. Luffy dug his fingers into the rest of the wallpaper, pushing and tearing down the canvas so that he could gain proper access to the forbidden area. The boy left the wallpaper flopping on its own and stared at the steep steps leading down into darkness. Luffy gulped in excitement. It almost felt like he was standing on the edge of a cliff, looking down into a rocky abyss, feeling the rocks crumbling beneath his feet. The boy took a step down and shivered from the chill crawling up his spine. What a strange feeling… what was down there…? It was really dark… did it really lead to the basement of the school?

He set his jaw firmly and carried onward. If he wanted to find out what was wrong with all the crystal lamps and elevator, he had a feeling that he couldn't run away from the darkness that crept along the steps beneath his feet. With the broomstick in front of him to guide his way in the shadow, Luffy started making his way down the narrow steps. He turned his head over his shoulder, watching as the glow of moonlight started to fade away at every step he took downward. Where was he headed to? The boy's heart pumped quickly in his chest and he grinned. Now _this_ was an adventure...! Suddenly, with one false step, he slipped and fell forward, losing his balance.

"Ah…!" Was all the boy could yelp before he tumbled down the steps like a small hurricane. "WAAAAAAHHHH!" He shouted, bracing himself against every step that he hit on his path down the steps. After what seemed like minutes of rolling down and around on the steps, Luffy finally smashed face-first into a wall which successfully halted his momentum. The boy peeled himself off of the wall and rubbed his nose vigorously, trying to numb the stinging pain shooting up his nose. He pouted and then stood up, patting off his pants casually. The black haired boy glanced around him and saw… nothing. Absolutely nothing. It was so dark… He lifted his hands up to his face and groped at the air in front of him. Then he waved. Luffy couldn't see his hands at all…! He felt a pang of anxiety fill in his chest and his lips drew into a firm line, remembering the dream he had today. The darkness… the feeling of loneliness and hopelessness, bordering on the point of nausea… The boy shook his head. There was sure to be a light switch somewhere…! But maybe it didn't work like the rest of the school…?

Luffy shook his head again and forced his legs to start moving. He stretched himself, trying to free himself of the paralyzing darkness and started walking around in random directions, hands in front of him, feeling for a wall or anything solid. Something tangible in all of this empty space. As he walked further and further around in the endless blackness, the more he noticed how silent his surroundings were. It was so quiet that it hurt his ears.

"Hello?" Luffy spoke, trying to break the mind wrecking silence. He smiled in relief as he could hear his own voice in all of the nothingness. At least it was something. Something other than the floor, the dark, and the silence. The boy started humming a tune, still trying his best to look for the wall. How far away were the walls anyway? Hadn't he been walking in one direction for a while now? He had hit a wall on his way down the stairs… but why couldn't he find it now? Suddenly, the boy noticed a few faintly glowing crystals, surrounding him on the walls. He paused in his walking for a moment. When had those gotten there? The shift in light had been so gradual, he hadn't even noticed it until he had been surrounded by the very faint crystals. He looked down at his hands. He could see them clench and unclench now. The boy stared at the walls in awe and walked a little further down. The light of the crystals seemed to grow brighter and brighter at every step he took. And now that it was slightly brighter, he noticed that all the crystals would simultaneously shift the color of their light. The crystals in the walls and the ones embedded in the floor would meld from green to blue, and then to purple, and then red, then back to blue. The colors all changed at exactly the same time… how strange… it was so entrancing… so in sync with each other. The constant repeat of slowly changing colors. Where was he…?

There were crystalline flowers blooming along the side of the path now. Luffy kneeled over one, studying it curiously. It was so beautiful... The details of the flower were so carefully done. It almost looked soft to the touch with its smooth petals. But the brittle stem signaled how very hard the flower actually was. The raven haired boy reached out a hand to touch it, his eyes round and shining in curiosity. What was this? He had never seen anything like it before… His hand paused. The crystal flower seemed to be pulsating with energy. An intense life energy that he had felt in that eerie dream…

_Tap tap tap…_

Luffy's ears perked up at the sound. It sounded like footsteps… was there someone coming? The boy gulped and rushed behind one of the largest crystals he could find. He put his hands on it and nearly yelped in surprise as he felt a fuzzy feeling shoot through his body from the point of contact on the large crystal boulder. The feeling didn't hurt… it just caught him off guard… so it should be ok to touch the boulder with his hands… The boy leaned against the crystal and peered around it, watching as a few people emerged from the darkness.

One person, with greasy black hair slicked back from his face, walked past Luffy's hiding spot, oblivious to the trespassing student. He had a long scar etched from one side of his face to the other, as if a knife had slashed him right across the nose. He looked grouchy and extremely annoyed. Luffy frowned, watching the man from a distance. He didn't like this person at all… he didn't know why, but it was just a feeling in the back of his mind. This guy was a bad person and would probably piss him off.

The three other people followed after the grouchy man obediently, wearing white sheets over their face and bodies, as if they were surgeons and doctors who were about to go and execute an operation. Where were they going? They seemed confident in all of this darkness, as if they had been down here for countless times and had already memorized every corner and turn in the cavern. Maybe they knew the way out…? Either way, he didn't have much choice other than to follow the people. Or he could always try and find his own way out… but that would take a long time… Luffy moved slowly from crystal to crystal, stalking after the group. He watched the greasy haired man with a scar across his face, who seemed to be the leader of the group. The man seemed familiar… Luffy was sure that he had never seen him before but… oddly enough, he felt that he had seen this person so many times in the past… The greasy haired man suddenly halted in the middle of the path lined by crystals and Luffy jumped behind another glowing boulder, peeping out curiously. Suddenly, the scarred man's head turned in his direction with narrowed eyes. Luckily, Luffy had noticed in time and had hid his head away from view. His heart pumped heavily and his gut wrenched. Did they notice him…? The boy stilled his breath, trying to calm himself and be alert for any sign of danger. His muscles tensed and he clenched his hands into fists, readying his legs to move at any moment.

But nothing ever came. He heard the sound of footsteps starting up again. The black haired boy cautiously peered over the top of his hiding spot and watched the backs walking off again. Luffy sighed in relief and wiped away a bead of sweat running down from his forehead. Man, that was close…! He was almost caught! The boy set out after the group again, paying closer attention to his movements so that he wouldn't be almost caught again. That greasy haired man was dangerous…!

As Luffy tiptoed after the group, he noticed that the size of the crystal surrounding him was getting larger and larger. The walls were turning into enormous sheets of crystal, still glowing and morphing from color to color. There were more crystalline flowers blooming from the ground as well and the entire cavern was filled with a mystical energy, pressing against Luffy's skin. There was the sound of cracking and the boy snapped his head in the direction of the group he had been following. The people had seemingly opened up a door in the side of the wall. Luffy cocked his head to the right, observing the four people enter through the cracked crystal door. Then, the door closed shut and the cracked crystal along the sides of the door seemed to grow back in place, smoothing out and sealing off the entrance or exit to the place the people had gone into.

The black haired boy blinked in surprise and then hastily jumped towards the place that had been a door. He stood in front of the section of the crystal wall and studied it carefully, looking for a way to enter through the door. But there was no door knob to turn. Nor was there anything shaped remotely like a handle to pull. Luffy gulped and lifted a hand to touch the smooth, glowing wall. His fingers tingled. He couldn't be… stuck in here, could he?

There were low voices mumbling from behind the wall. Luffy pressed an ear to the wall and trained all of his concentration upon his ears so that he could hear them properly. Perhaps they would say something that could help him get out of this place. What had he been doing down here in the first place…?

Oh, right. He had been looking for the source of the problem to the broken lights and elevator. The boy involuntarily shivered although there was no wind in the cavern. These crystals seemed to hold some sort of energy in them… maybe the crystals were the things that powered the school?

"He's looking even wearier every time I see him…" Luffy heard the one of the muffled voices speak. The boy moved back, finding that he could hear the voices even without having to lean against the wall. If he looked carefully, he could see the faint figures of the four people through the crystal. The people wearing white sheets were fumbling around and holding some sort of device in their hands while another figure—that Luffy assumed was the greasy haired man—stood in one spot patiently.

"Good, the more he despairs, the more power he'll give us." Luffy froze at that voice. That sounded like… the principal…! One of his eyebrows raised and he watched as the shape of the greasy haired man walked off. "Come, he is waiting for us…" The principal's voice echoed maliciously. The raven haired boy's eyes widened. No wonder he didn't like that person…! He was... the principal! Luffy's eyes narrowed and he scaled along the wall of crystal, warily watching the scarred man's figure. What was the principal doing down here…?

The boy followed after the figures in the crystal wall until something up ahead caught his eyes. He stopped in his tracks and his brown eyes widened in wonder. Among the walls, one section was so smooth that he could see almost clearly through the crystal. And beyond that glass-like wall, he found a majestic being, chained and shackled to the ground. He noticed immediately that the being had long, light green hair… Was this the person? The person he had met in his dreams…?

The person was sitting so still that it almost seemed as if he were dead. The raven haired boy took a tentative step closer, entranced by the mystical calmness the person was giving off. Luffy could feel his heart clench as he watched the long haired person, sitting on the ground, eyes closed. Whoever this person was, he looked so sad despite the feeling of calmness he emitted…

As the light from the crystals around him pulsated and changed color, Luffy crept closer, drawn by the person. In his dreams, had he been this person…? For just a moment, had he felt what this person felt all the time? If he did become this person in his dreams, how could that person just sit there so calmly, without squirming around on the ground, clutching at his hurting heart? All of a sudden, it was hard for the black haired boy to breathe and he felt a lump grow in his throat. When he watched this long haired being, sitting there so calmly through his despair… Luffy couldn't help but choke.

This person… he needed help…

Footsteps were leading from beyond the wall and Luffy snapped his head in the direction of the sound, remembering the group of four he had been previously following. The boy dropped down to his stomach, lying low on the ground, hoping that he wouldn't be spotted. The principal came into view and he strolled towards the green haired person sitting calmly on the ground, hands and legs bound to the ground with heavy chains. The three other people wearing white followed, holding a few pairs of shears in their hands. They fitted their hands into the scissors and moved it a few times, causing an ominous slicing sound to echo along the walls. Luffy frowned as he noticed the long haired person twitch from the sound.

The principal wove his fingers into the long haired person's hair, grinning maliciously. "Hello, Zoro…" The person named Zoro merely sat still, determined not to move. The principal sneered and yanked at the long hair, lifting Zoro up off the ground so that his feet dangled only a few inches from the ground. Then, the principal flung Zoro across the room, slamming into the crystal wall Luffy was looking through. Luffy's eyes narrowed and he growled in anger at the principal's treatment of this person. The person was already so miserable, yet they still wanted to torture him? The black haired boy wanted to punch the principal in the face so badly… but, how could he get into the crystal wall?

The three people dressed in white walked forward, snipping their shears. Zoro kept his eyes closed, pushing away the rising nervous feeling in his gut, and merely lay still against the wall, ignoring the stinging pain in his scalp and the throbbing bruise forming on the back of his head. The people moved forward hungrily and tugged at the long green hair. They started cutting mercilessly at Zoro's hair and scalp, snipping and snapping aggressively. Luffy watched angrily as the long green hair was reduced to crops and short patches of green. They were humiliating this person now? When he didn't even do anything to them? But... why didn't Zoro fight back? That above anything else made Luffy even more frustrated. Zoro looked like he could fight back on his own, yet he didn't do anything. He just let them do this to him without even putting up a struggle! The boy heaved deep breaths of air in a vain attempt at keeping his temper down.

The strands of hair that had been viciously clipped from Zoro's head were strewn on the ground and the principal walked forwards, grabbing a handful from the pile on the ground.

"Yes, this should be enough to take care of the school's sudden power outage today…" He smirked and waved at the other three, "You know what to do with the rest." The people wearing white nodded obediently and gathered together all of the hair and stuffed it into a sack they had prepared beforehand. The greasy haired principal sneered down at Zoro and spat at him, "This is the only thing you are useful for. Just stay silent and pity yourself. Be miserable."

He smiled pitifully at the unmoving man lying against the crystal wall and bent over to pet the man's short green hair, raking his hands through the blood that was starting to leak from the abuse on Zoro's scalp. "My poor poor child… I know you are hurt but you must understand that this is all good for you. I am making you…" The principal frowned, as if he were searching for the proper word. Then he smiled, "Great. Yes, I am making you great. You see, despair and hatred are the greatest powers on this earth. With it, you are forced to unleash all of your energy. Your frustration, anger, sadness… all concentrated upon one strand of hair…" He drew his hand back from the lifeless man and lifted up his other hand, full of Zoro's severed green hair. "This… is power…" The principal smirked and spoke into his hand and then threw the batch up into the air, watching the green hair dissipate into a fog of dust. He stood up and patted his hands clean. "That should provide energy for the school for another three years or so." He started walking away and then glanced back, a look only a man with crazed ambition would have, etched on his face. "I will see you again, Roronoa Zoro. Despair. And you will stay strong." The principal retreated back down the path towards his three accomplices. Luffy glared with all his might at the principal's head, hoping he could bore holes into the man's head. What? Despair was the greatest power on earth? Who was he kidding? But wait… something seemed strange… As the principal disappeared behind the crystal wall, Luffy stared at the place the principal had been standing in when he was using Zoro's hair to cast magic. The sinister man had said that that small batch of hair would provide energy for the school…? For another three years…? How could that be possible? Zoro should be dead by now if that were the case! Providing that much energy for the school… it was enough energy to kill someone! Was it possible that Zoro's powers were strong enough to fuel the entire school…? Luffy decided that he would have to check later. When he got back up to the surface.

The greasy haired principal suddenly glanced back suspiciously, feeling as though there were someone unwelcome watching him… When he saw no one besides the prone figure of Zoro, he scowled in annoyance and then signaled for the other three to start moving again.

Luffy had pressed himself tight to the ground when he saw the principal look backwards over his shoulder in confusion. Had he been discovered? The black haired boy gulped and stayed as still as possible, holding his breath so that he seemed as immobile as the ground beneath him. The sound of the principal's heavy footsteps started again and Luffy watched warily from the floor as the man walked back towards the part of the crystal wall that turned foggy and hard to see through. The boy let out the breath he had been holding and turned his brown eyes back upon the still figure of Zoro. He looked like a doll, limp and slumped against the wall at an uncomfortable angle.

Standing up slowly, Luffy started making his way towards the crystal wall separating him from Zoro. He paused at the wall, looking down upon the soulless green haired man. Why did he look so weak now when he had just looked so majestic and powerful before? Luffy watched on silently, observing the person beyond the wall.

"Who's there…?" The black haired boy blinked at the low voice that he had heard. Suddenly, Zoro shifted a little and grasped the crystal wall to pull himself to his feet. Luffy jumped back, startled by the man's sudden movement. The green haired man looked up from the ground and stared at the wall, straight at Luffy. The black haired boy froze on his feet, stunned by being caught in Zoro's eyes. They stood still, both unmoving from their spots. It felt as though if any one of them moved from this point onwards, they would be breaking something precious. And Luffy didn't want that.

The raven haired boy gazed back into the man's eyes and was slightly surprised to see how dull they looked. There was no light in them. And the pupils looked unfocused, as if a wisp of cloud had decided to live in the man's eyes. Zoro was looking straight at him, but at the same time… it seemed like he couldn't see him… Was Zoro… blind?

"Who's there?" This time Luffy saw the lips move on the green haired man. He paused for a moment, unsure as to how he should respond. Then, he stepped forward tentatively. In return, Zoro took a step back cautiously, still staring blindly in Luffy's direction. The boy took another step closer, this time a little more confidently.

"My name is Monkey D. Luffy." He smiled at the man even though he couldn't see it. "And who are you?" The green haired man tensed slightly at Luffy's voice. His eyebrows furrowed together for a moment, creasing together in thought. And then he relaxed slightly, eyebrows falling back calmly into a stoic expression.

"Roronoa Zoro." The man told the boy softly. The words hung in the air, hovering over the two people who were standing face to face in a cavern full of glowing lights. They were only separated by a single sliver of crystal wall…

Zoro lifted his hands up, groping around in the air, slowly searching for the wall he had just crashed into earlier. He took a few small steps forward and the chains around his wrists and ankles chimed as he moved. Perhaps if he reached that wall, he could get closer to this new person? But what if this person named Monkey D. Luffy was also going to hurt him…? The man stopped moving. Monkey D. Luffy was going to hurt him? But… it sounded like he was on the other side of the wall… so he wouldn't be able to touch him… Zoro started moving forward again, chains jingling. Even if this Luffy person was going to hurt him… it felt nice, that for once, he could hear another person's voice.

Luffy watched as Zoro moved forward, trying to reach the wall he was standing behind. The boy smiled and slowly trekked forward, extending one hand out to the wall. This man seemed so lonely and sad… the professor had told him that he should help people who needed help… His fingertips were almost to the wall and he could see and feel Zoro's hand inching closer at the same time. Had he finally met someone who needed his help…?

Their hands reached the crystal barrier between them at the same time. Zoro's eyes widened slightly as he felt the wall beneath his palm and the foreign warmth that was coming from the other side, offering comfort and support. Luffy gulped and could feel a wave of excitement rush over him as he watched his hand press against the wall and match with Zoro's hand. Everything seemed to stop. The glowing crystal lights seemed to disappear, the silence of the cavern replaced by the sound of their beating hearts. Both of them only felt each other even though they weren't actually touching. They were feeling the other through that layer of crystal. Luffy licked his lips and then broke the entrancing spell between them by grinning.

"I'm gonna get you out." His voice bounced along the walls confidently.

Zoro froze and an expression of disbelief crept across his face. What was this person talking about? Get him out? How? He had tried so many times in the past, pounding on the walls and floor until his hands and feet bled and bruised in exhaustion… This person would be releasing him from this prison? How was that possible? The warmth under his fingertips disappeared and he frantically brought his other hand up against the wall, searching for that comfortable feeling again. What was happening? Where had that feeling gone? What was Luffy doing?

"Luffy?" Zoro asked softly, searching blindly in his darkness for the person's voice, hands patting at the wall, trying to find the boy. "Luffy?"

The raven haired boy smirked and withdrew his hand from the man's hand to pluck a strand of hair from his head. "Don't worry, Zoro. Believe in me." He stepped back and lifted the strand of hair to his mouth. He smiled, closing his eyes and poured all of his confidence into the hair held between his fingers and into the next words he spoke. "I will get you out."

Zoro tensed at the words Luffy was telling him. Don't worry…? Believe? Luffy was going to get him out…? Unbelievable. It was impossible. Nevertheless, a strange feeling rose in his chest, spreading out and filling the emptiness inside of him. What was this…? It felt warm, just like when he had touched the wall… but it hurt at the same time. A wrenching feeling in his stomach…

Luffy blew the strand of black hair and watched it fly into the air, disappearing in a breeze. Suddenly, a large solid mallet formed in his right hand. The head of the mallet was as large as one of the crystal boulders he had been hiding behind earlier and the handle was as long as both of his arms put together. His left hand reached over and both of his hands closed their fingers around the end of the handle. Then, he brought the entire mallet up and behind him, swinging back with his arms and his entire body.

"Zoro, duck!" The boy grinned manically, winding up and getting ready to smash the mallet into the crystal wall with as much force as possible. The green haired man heard Luffy's shout and quickly pulled down to the floor, not really understanding what was happening, but knowing in his heart that somehow everything would be all right. Because Luffy was there.

With a loud grunt and muscles rippling and bulging, the boy let himself fall into the swing, sending the mallet rotating over his shoulder, around his waist and then straight into the crystal wall. He put all of his weight into the swing and the head of the mallet slammed into the wall. With a rumbling crack, the crystal split and Luffy kept pushing the enormous mallet into the opening. The wall gave way, shards of crystal breaking away while the mallet pushed through. Luffy stepped through the shower of crystals that were breaking off from the gaping hole in the wall. Then he slowly walked towards the man still crouched on the ground, dragging the mallet behind him. Now that the crystal wall wasn't in the way any longer, Luffy could feel his heart clench and soar at the sight of the man before him. This person was the one he had met in his dreams! How amazing was that? It was a person from his dreams, squatting right before him, in the flesh. And now that he had broken down the crystal wall, he could finally get this person out of this prison…! He lifted the mallet onto his shoulder and then draped one arm over the handle casually. The boy grinned boyishly and laughed with a carefree cheer. "Hi, Zorooo."

The green haired man was too surprised to answer. He stood up slowly, staring in the general direction Luffy's voice was coming from. After briefly hearing Luffy shout at him to duck, he had heard an enormous crash from the wall. And now, he could hear the sound of crystal clinking on the ground and shattering into little bits. Was the wall broken…? No way. It was impossible… wasn't it? He stretched an arm out curiously, searching for the boy's voice. It sounded so close… so near… Did he really break through the wall…? But how did Luffy break it so easily? He inched forward on his grimy bare feet, constantly moving towards this foreign person. If he reached that person, would he be free…? Could he really leave this place…? The shackles on his feet suddenly grew taut and he couldn't move any further. His eyebrows creased and he helplessly pulled his legs, trying to move further. He could almost hear and almost feel the breath of the stranger named Luffy standing only a few more inches away. Why did these chains hold him back now? At this moment in time…? Zoro lowered his arms, giving up his search for Luffy and succumbing to the darkness again. It was impossible. How could someone be here to free him? After all this time…?

Luffy frowned slightly as the green haired man stopped moving completely. What was wrong with him? He was here to save him so shouldn't he be happy? The boy's eyes trailed over the man's form and noticed the chains around his wrists and ankles. His eyes lit up. That must be it…! He laughed and walked towards the fallen man whose head was bowed down in defeat. "Stupid, Zoro. You should've told me if you still couldn't move. Hold on for a moment… I'll definitely get you out of here!"

That clenching yet warm feeling was in his chest again… Zoro lifted his head slowly and listened for Luffy's movements. Why was he so confident? What if he got caught? Then what? It would be all his fault for pulling Luffy into his problems...! And then maybe he'd be imprisoned just like him? A swishing sound came from behind him and the green haired man heard the slam of something heavy into the ground and the unmistakable clunk of chains spilling and scattering across the floor. Zoro twitched from the sound but took a timid step forward, expecting the chains to hold him back. But instead, a strange feeling swept across him as his foot moved past the point he could never pass. He moved his other foot experimentally and took a step forward. Then he noticed that he could move his arms freely as well. A furious hotness rushed from his feet to the top of his head after realizing his newfound freedom. He could move...! He could move!

Luffy leaned on the handle of the mallet and smiled widely as he observed the green haired man take a tiny step forward. Then, he watched Zoro pause in surprise, staring blindly down at his feet and hands. "Neehee," Luffy grinned, "See? I told you I'd get you out of here." The mallet in his hands disappeared and the boy nearly tripped over from the lack of support holding him up. But he caught himself in time and smiled sheepishly. "Mm, the power must've been used up…" The boy spoke idly, staring at the spot the mallet had once been. He strolled towards the green haired man and lifted his hand to tap the man with his fingers. Zoro flinched at the touch, slightly surprised by Luffy's sudden movement. He quickly pulled away and turned on his heels so that he faced Luffy. The black haired boy pouted, hand still paused in mid-air after only tapping the man once on the shoulder. Zoro didn't trust him enough…? Luffy sighed inwardly but nevertheless put a smile on his face. "Zoro, I'm going to get you out. Do you know the way out of here?" The green haired man shook his head. It was all dark here… he wouldn't have been able to see any exit. Luffy's eyebrows furrowed in thought, trying to remember how he had first come to this place. The more he thought, the more harder it was to remember. There had been so many turns after all…! The raven haired boy shrugged it all off and grabbed Zoro's hand firmly in his own so that the man couldn't pull away. Zoro tensed, muscles nearly cramping. This foreign person was holding his hand…? As if they had been friends for a long time…

"Come on." Luffy pulled Zoro out of the cage of crystal the man had been trapped in. They hastily walked through the shower of broken crystals and started moving in a direction Luffy hoped was the way back to school.

The two young men weaved their way through the dim lit path of crystals, steadily making their way through the cavernous tunnels. Luffy stood at the front, leading Zoro with his one hand gripped onto the other man's tightly so that they wouldn't be separated. Zoro followed behind, pulled forward by Luffy's hand, staring blindly and lagging back a little, still uncertain if he should follow Luffy or not. The green haired man let himself be dragged forward like a rag doll, too busy with his thoughts to care where Luffy was taking him. Was this boy trustworthy…? How did he know if Luffy wouldn't take him to some place that would torture him even worse than what they did here? And even if Luffy wasn't taking him to some place like that, why would Luffy want to help him when they just met? The boy had no reason to endanger himself just in order to help him leave the dark prison… he had no reason… so then why? Why…?

Luffy paused and Zoro nearly bumped into the boy's back. The raven haired boy tapped his foot on the ground and stared at the large glowing crystals surrounding them. "Hmm… this place looks a little familiar…" Zoro blinked and turned his head, staring at the darkness. Why did Luffy say that the place looked familiar…? All he could see was the pitch blackness of the air before him.

"I can't see anything…" The green haired man spoke quietly, almost as if he were afraid of Luffy's reaction. The black haired boy turned his attention upon Zoro, who was staring off to the side with misty looking eyes. Luffy gave the man a small smile.

"Ahh, so you really can't see…" The boy sighed and moved closer to examine the man's eyes. "But is it because you were trapped down here for a long time… or something else…? Your eyes look like something is in them… like a swirl of clouds…" Luffy leaned closer, curiously staring at Zoro. The green haired man shifted uncomfortably, noticing Luffy's breath drawing closer and closer towards him. He took a small step back, muscles tense and feeling extremely uncertain. Luffy paused in his scrutiny, noticing how awkward Zoro felt. The boy sighed to himself. It would take some time to earn Zoro's trust, huh…? Luffy merely smiled again, hiding away the small feeling of disappointment welling up in his chest, and pulled Zoro in another direction. It would take time, but he would definitely help Zoro out of his despair. As the boy walked down the path, staring at the crystals passing by, he started to remember that the entrance to this basement had been very very dark. Maybe if he directed himself towards the darkest place in the cave, they would find their way out?

"He's gone!"

Luffy and Zoro froze on their feet as they heard the panicked voice echoing along the walls of crystal. The two boys glanced over their backs nervously, eyes wide in shock. They had found out!

"WHAT?"

"There's a hole in the wall, sir!"

"FIND HIM, YOU IMBECILES!"

And after that powerful shout, they heard a mad trample of footsteps across broken crystal. The two fugitives stood in their places, looking much like two deer caught in a car's headlights. What could they do? They needed to run. And fast! Luffy was the first to move. He pulled Zoro quickly towards the darkness as silently as possible. No way would he let the principal take Zoro back and abuse him! He had told the green haired man that he was going to get him out and no matter what happened, he would do as he said! Luffy started jogging towards the darker side of the cave, dragging Zoro along. He frowned slightly, noticing how much Zoro lagged behind. Could he not use his feet properly…? But of course, if the green haired man had been locked up since he was a child, it would be no wonder that the man had forgotten how to run.

Zoro grit his teeth in frustration wondering why his feet couldn't move faster and catch up with Luffy. The boy was pulling on his arm and he was sure he was being a great burden to him… he was slowing the both of them down. At this rate, not only would he be caught but Luffy might be captured by his torturers and become separated from his body parts, hacked and cut piece by piece, by scissors. The green haired man roughly threw Luffy's hand aside, successfully loosening the boy's grip on his hand. The two stopped in their tracks, both panting slightly from the exertion of energy from trying to play this cat and mouse game of hide and seek. Luffy glanced back, slightly confused by Zoro's actions. Zoro merely stared back stoically, giving no words of explanation. Because explanations would only complicate things.

The crystals surrounding the two males were dimmer than before, a sure sign that they were heading in the right direction. Luffy watched Zoro in confusion and annoyance. What was Zoro doing? Didn't he want to escape? He stared at the green haired man for a while, taking in the man's rugged appearance. His hair, cut at different lengths with dried blood, caked over his scalp. His cloudy eyes, staring defiantly yet nervously past him. And his slouching form, tired and weary, as if he were carrying the world's burden upon his back. At that moment, Luffy understood. And he stepped forward, reaching a soft hand out to touch Zoro's pale and grimy one. Zoro flinched but remained steadfast. He was unsure. Uncertain. Doubtful. Unwilling yet willing to accept. Could Luffy really get him out? Would everything _really_ be ok…?

"I told you already didn't I?" Luffy's soft and comforting voice felt like the free wind in Zoro's ear. Liberating… He felt Luffy's hand squeeze his own. "I'm not leaving without you." Zoro gulped at the dry lump in his throat, all resolve for sacrificing himself in order to save the boy dissipating. Just with those few words…

"There he is!"

"There's someone with him!"

Luffy smirked and gave Zoro's hand another squeeze, as if it would pump the energy into both of their legs. "Let's go!" Zoro nodded and felt Luffy tug his hand in one direction. He quickly followed, mentally urging his feet to move and move and move. It didn't matter how they moved. Or if they hurt when they moved. As long as they did. As long as they ran. And then the both of them sped off into the darkness, the dimly glowing crystals dimming further as they sprinted down the blackening path. A small smile spread across Zoro's face in the safe veil of darkness. Ahh… he was running… he was moving…

The three people wearing white, who had been chasing after the two runaway boys, hastily split up, releasing two after the fugitives' tails while one stayed behind. The greasy haired principal slowly walked towards the one person who had stayed behind, not bothering to give chase. He was confident that he would catch the green haired man, wherever he may escape to… there was no need to rush…

"Sir!" The person saluted and stood as straight as a tower when the principal was close enough. "I have some information to report!" The scarred man lazily gestured for him to continue. "Roronoa Zoro has been spotted with another person… wearing the school uniform…" The principal raised an eyebrow in interest.

"Oh…?"

"Yes, sir…" The person nodded and watched the greasy haired man carefully. A sneer crept its way onto the principal's face, spreading smoothly across like the trail of a moving snake upon clear desert sands. A student from the school? Who would possibly dare to go against the rules and enter the basement? There was only one person he could think of. Every sliver of evidence pointed to that boy… The principal chuckled and waved his hand at the person saluting him.

"Go tell the others to stop the chase. I have a more efficient plan." The greasy man smiled almost kindly and turned a pitiful eye towards the darkness. That poor student. He wouldn't know what had hit him… He smirked and the mysterious light from the crystals reflected in his eyes, making him look even more sinister than usual. Yes, this could all be done with little or no hassle. There was no need to rush. No need to hurry. Everything would eventually fall into his plans. For he and Zoro were bound. Bound by the soul. And because of that, it would be inevitable. Inevitable that they would meet again and again no matter how far or how long the other tried to run away.

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**AN:** Sorry, I wrote this way back when Crocodile was a real crook so… he's gonna be pretty evil in this story. This entire story (including the next few chapters) is supposedly one whole chapter in this huge story but… I couldn't finish the second chapter (where they meet Sanji in a land where it's constantly night). Therefore, think of this story as a very long one-shot.


	2. Chapter 2

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It was dark. Very dark. Luffy couldn't see a thing. He didn't know where they were going anymore. Were the people in white still chasing after them? He couldn't hear any footsteps either. Perhaps they had run far enough? Far enough that they had lost their hunters? Zoro was starting to lag behind again, breathing heavily from his lack of exercise. He took a deep breath, trying to calm his pounding heart. He could taste blood in his mouth from sprinting so fast for so long. It was… exhilarating. This taste of blood at the back of his throat, the sweat pouring down his back, and the thrilling feeling of energy pumping through his veins and having every muscle in his body stretch as he ran… But Luffy had slowed to a stop now. Zoro felt his hand tug in another direction and he walked silently after, following and trying his best to trust the other hand in his own. Luffy's eyebrows furrowed in thought, squinting into the darkness as if that would help him capture what little light there was down there. Suddenly, his face hit something hard. He nearly cried out in pain from having his nose crushed again but the boy quickly stifled his cry and lifted up his free hand to massage his nose to relieve the pain. What did he just bump into? Something really hard… was it… a wall? Luffy's eyes widened in realization and he brought his hand away from his nose to pat at the invisible wall in front of him. Could it be? Could this wall be the one he had bumped into when he tumbled down the steps earlier…? He pressed himself to the wall, gently pulling Zoro towards the wall. The green haired man tensed as he felt the solid surface against his side, but he quickly relaxed when the hard surface did no harm to him. He glanced curiously towards Luffy's general direction. What was the boy planning…?

"Right…" The black haired boy whispered and turned on his heel so that his back was pressed against the wall, "Now… just go straight forward…" He took one step forward. Then another step. And then another, one foot in front of the other, slowly leading Zoro in as straight a line as he could in the dark. Hopefully this would lead them to the staircase and not back to the glowing crystals where the people in white and the principal waited. After nearly twenty more steps of one foot in front of the other, the pressure upon Luffy was starting to bear down on him. He was losing his patience. Did he really tumble down this far? The boy started striding forwards, trusting that his instincts would take him to the right place. And then, his foot hit something hard and he tripped forward, dragging Zoro down with him. His head slammed into a sharp edge and then a surprised Zoro fell on top of him, pressing his forehead further into the sharp edge. Tears sprang into his eyes. "ITEEEEI!" The raven haired boy rolled over and his hands flew up to clutch at his head. He pouted. There would no doubt be a bruise there by the time they got up to the surface.

Zoro blinked as he felt Luffy's hand leave his own. A twisting feeling leapt into his gut, wrenching at his stomach. Where had Luffy gone? Why had his hand disappeared…? He had just fallen over after Luffy's hand tugged him down. Then, the boy had rolled aside and Zoro couldn't find him…! The green haired man moved his hands along the floor in panic, searching for Luffy's lost hand. That hand of comfort. "Luffy…?" He whispered harshly, not wanting to let go. Not in all this darkness and this foreign environment. At least in his cage, he knew what to expect. Days after days of torture, insults, and humiliation. But with this new floor and with no shackles holding him down… he didn't know what to do. He didn't know what to do at all. He was… lost. Lost without that hand. So, he had to find it! Feeling lost felt… it felt… so helpless… "Luffy…?"

The raven haired boy detected the hint of urgency in Zoro's voice and realized what he had done. He had left Zoro all alone in his darkness. Just because his head hurt. How could he be so stupid? "Ah! Sorry, Zoro. I'm right here, don't worry… hold on. I'll find you in just a second…" He reached his hands out in the direction he remembered Zoro had fallen. But when he reached out, he felt nothing but empty air. A tightening feeling rose in his chest. What? Wasn't Zoro supposed to be there…?

The two young men patted at the ground, trying to find their way towards each other. At every second, their feeling of panic and fear rose and rose. Where was the other? If only they could see! Luffy grit his teeth in frustration, forcing away the fear threatening to take over. He would definitely find Zoro. Even if it took hours or days. "Zoro, just stay where you are. Don't move. I'll come to you, ok?" The green haired man nodded slowly, paralyzed by the fear of being left in this unknown place all by himself. Luffy crawled forward, knowing in his heart that the green haired man wouldn't move. His hands roamed across the floor, continuously searching for Zoro's hands. And then, finally, he felt his hand brush against the ice cold hands of the green haired man. Zoro almost drew his hand back from surprise but Luffy quickly snatched the man's hand in his own, relief washing over him like a soothing waterfall. "I found you…" Zoro registered the warm hand in his own and he felt all of his previous panic dissipate. He felt at ease again.

Luffy smiled and patted the surrounding area around them. He had tripped over something… what was it? Maybe if they were lucky, they had found the staircase…? His fingers felt along the angled edge of the solid object and then he moved his hand upwards, feeling for anything that felt like a step. After the edge, there was a smooth, planar surface… and then his hand hit another wall. The boy grinned and patted the second step happily. Yes! He had found it at last! He stood up and helped Zoro up onto his feet. "Good news, I found the way out!"

Zoro felt his heart beat in excitement. He would be able to walk on the surface of the earth again…!

Luffy brushed the tip of his toes across the steps shrouded in darkness, just to make sure that they were really there and not just some figment of his imagination. He smiled in satisfaction when his sandals touched solid steps. The boy lifted one leg up and stepped up onto the step. Zoro blinked blindly, wondering how Luffy had seemingly managed to grow taller. The man stepped forward and stubbed his toes against the solid steps. He paused, feeling around curiously for the solid thing in front of him. It didn't make sense… it felt like a wall, yet Luffy had walked through it…?

The black haired boy gently tugged Zoro's hand, urging him to climb the steps. His eyebrows creased together in thought. Could it be possible that Zoro didn't know how to climb steps…? "Zoro…!" The green haired man snapped his attention back to Luffy, focusing his ears upon the boy's voice. "Lift one foot up and bend your knee." Zoro did as he was told and stared into the darkness, utterly puzzled. Luffy squeezed the man's hand. "Now, move forward." Zoro stayed frozen to the spot for a moment, debating whether or not to listen to Luffy's words. Then, he took a tentative step forward, leaning towards the wall he knew would be there, while miraculously using Luffy's hand as support. When he brought his foot down, he felt his body pass through his mentally constructed wall in front of him and landed on something solid and higher than his other foot. Zoro stared into the darkness with wide eyes. Why was he standing at different heights…? He testily lifted his other leg and bent his knee, taking another step forward while unknowingly advancing to the surface at every step. Luffy grinned as he felt Zoro move up the steps slowly. "Nice, Zoro!" The boy led the man slowly up the stairs, searching for the pale and glowing moonlight that should be flooding in through the windows. The green haired man allowed a faint smile to grace his eyes and he licked his lips excitedly.

"Luffy… I'm moving upwards…!" His knees creaked from the burden of climbing up the steps and the lack of exercise, but nevertheless, Zoro was feeling a strange bubbly feeling in the pit of his chest. He didn't know what it was… but it felt warm and nice.

"Just a little further…" Luffy smiled widely, quickly taking notice of Zoro's obvious enthusiasm, "I'm starting to see a little bit of light…" The both of them climbed the steps silently, going around and around the cylindrical staircase, reaching closer and closer towards the moonlight. They walked in sync, lifting foot after foot and pushing off towards the next step. At last, the glow of moonlight reached Luffy's face and caressed his cheeks, welcoming him back to the surface. The raven haired boy smiled at the blue moon in the sky and helped Zoro up the last steps. "Look, we've made it, Zoro!" Luffy laughed happily and jumped towards the center of the classroom. He turned to watch Zoro balance at the top of the stairs. The green haired man was standing right under the peeled canvas Luffy had left hanging in his haste to tear apart the wall but he stepped forward, as if he had sensed the strange presence hovering over his head. Zoro started moving forward awkwardly and Luffy smiled, striding forward to help the man maneuver his way through the desks and chairs of the classroom. The green haired man sniffed at the air, noticing a nice crisp smell in the air. What was this smell…? It seemed familiar… There was a sweet rubbery smell in the air along with the scents of freshly sharpened pencils. But mixed with all these odors, he could also sense the crystalline and icy smell seeping in through the windows. The green haired man moved forward slowly, sniffing every corner of the new place. But even with Luffy's help, Zoro occasionally still bumped into a few things. The black haired boy frowned slightly. Wasn't there a way he could restore the man's eyesight? "Naa, Zoro?" The man focused an ear upon the boy to inform Luffy that he was listening. Luffy glanced to the side for a moment, uncertain if he should ask Zoro such a personal question, but then he let his eyes fall back upon the man before him. "Do you… remember anything about how you were blinded…?"

Zoro's eyebrows creased together in thought, trying to dig up his earliest memories. From what he could remember, he had almost always been blind… there wasn't a single day in his past that wasn't dark. The green haired man shook his head, signaling to Luffy that he couldn't remember anything on how he had become blind. The raven haired boy frowned and scratched his head, taking in Zoro's appearance.

"You should really go and take a bath or something…" Luffy stared at the man's grimy hands and feet and the thin sheet of yellowed white robes hanging on the man's body. His face and hair had splotches of dried blood as well… speaking of hair… Luffy stared at the uneven lengths of green hair on the man's head. "You know what? I'll cut your hair, too. So it'll look neater. And since you don't have anywhere to stay, you can come to my home!" A child-like smile spread across his face as he started planning the things he could do together with his new friend. Zoro merely stared at Luffy in confusion. His home…? He was going to Luffy's home next?

Luffy stepped behind Zoro and started pushing the surprised man towards the door of the classroom, swiftly maneuvering his body so that he didn't hit a single corner of a desk or leg of a chair. Just as Luffy was about to shove the man out the door enthusiastically and towards the doors out into the snowy country, he came to a halt beside the light switch glued innocently to the wall. The black haired boy stared at the crystal switch on the wall and then warily eyed the crystal lamps on the walls. Zoro's power could supply this school with energy for three years just from a tiny handful of hair. Could it be possible…? He lifted a hand out to the switch, almost afraid to know what the answer would be. But he carried on and his index finger moved under the light switch slowly, preparing himself for the inevitable unveiling of the truth. Luffy glanced at the dark room and then with a gentle flick, sent the crystal lamps lighting up. The lamps seemed to burn brightly, the light dancing along the walls. The boy's eyes grew round in wonder and he looked from the warmly flickering lights to the tall green haired man standing before him, looking very confused with his cloudy eyes. It was true…! Zoro actually had enough life energy and power to provide endless light and energy for the school! And for another three years…? That was incredible! Any normal person would have died by now. Luffy stared at the weary looking man curiously. Just who was this person…? But then his large eyes, shining in wonder dimmed a little, realizing that if it had been Zoro's powers that had been providing energy for the entire school, then how long had the green haired man been locked up…? Had he been forced to provide energy for the school since he was a child? Since the making of this school? How long ago had the school been built? Fifteen years ago…? Sixteen?

Zoro blinked a few times, wondering why Luffy had stopped all of a sudden. He heard the sound of the light switch being flicked and he turned his head over his shoulder as if he would be able to see what Luffy was doing through his clouded eyes. "Luffy?"

"Zoro?" Luffy asked quietly, "How old are you? Do you remember anything before you were locked up…? Like… did you go to school or… your family?"

The man's eyebrows creased together. School? Family? He frowned and started to remember one of the earliest memories in his mind. The image of blinding light in his eyes and a warm hand on his head, sowing caringly through his hair… Zoro was brought back from his peaceful thoughts as he remembered Luffy's question and he swallowed, wondering whether or not he should share such a personal memory to the boy or not. He didn't know Luffy well enough… but even if Luffy did know about his memories before being locked up, what could the boy do with them? It wouldn't harm himself if other people knew, right…? But as he opened his mouth to answer, he found that he didn't have the voice or words to say anything. "I…" Zoro lowered his head, not wanting Luffy to look at him anymore. "I…"

Luffy watched the green haired man struggle internally and was immediately sorry for asking such personal questions. He smiled sheepishly and waved his hands nervously in front of him, "Ah, I'm sorry, Zoro. It's okay, you don't have to tell me anything." The two stared at the floor in an awkward silence. Luffy peered up from the floor to sneak a glance at the green haired man. His face was set in a grim expression, pale skin glowing from the blue moonlight. He almost looked like a ghost… was the man hungry? The black haired boy smiled to himself. It really didn't matter how long Zoro had been locked up or what he remembered. All that mattered now was the present! And he was sure that he could help Zoro right now. "Right then!" Luffy's sudden loud and cheery voice bounced along to Zoro's ears, surprising the man from his frozen form.

"Huh…?" Zoro blinked and was suddenly pushed from behind again, shoved from the doorway and into another place that seemed more spacey and open.

"Let's go to my home and get you washed up and fed properly!" Luffy laughed and ran towards the school entrance, pushing Zoro along the waxed floor so that the man seemed to be gliding across the floor. The green haired man tensed up, eyes widening in astonishment. Why was he moving so fast now…? Without even moving his feet?

Just as Luffy was about to burst through the doorways along with Zoro, the boy stopped, noticing Zoro's bare feet and the icy snow outside. "Uhh…." The man's muscles were too tense to even move his neck.

"Huh?" He voiced, completely confused by the way events had gone so far. Luffy glanced down at the sandals he were wearing and nodded, slipping them off. He walked in front of Zoro and gently tapped at the man's feet. Zoro flinched from the unexpected touch and took a step backwards. But then, realizing that the person who had touched his foot must've been Luffy, the man stopped moving backwards and took a small step forward.

"Lift up your foot, Zoro." Luffy smiled tapping at the man's left foot with his finger. The green haired man did as he was told, lifting up one foot off the ground by a few millimeters. The boy chuckled from how little Zoro had lifted his foot and he slipped on the sandal onto the man's foot. It looked like it fit… but he would have to get Zoro his own shoes and clothes soon… obviously, Zoro shouldn't be going outside in such little clothes as he was wearing now. The man was only wearing a thin sheet of robes that must've been white some time ago but was now splattered with dried blood, dirt, sweat, and who knew what else. "Your other foot, now."

Zoro lifted his other foot and balanced on his sandaled left foot. He felt Luffy slip something onto his right foot and then the boy sighed in satisfaction. The green haired man twitched his toes curiously and then took a few steps in place. Luffy had put some strange things on his feet… what were they for? Luffy had grabbed his hand again and he heard a click from something in front of him. And then, there was a gust of cold wind that swept right through his clothes to his skin. The green haired man felt what little warmth he had in his body tingle and disappear in the coldness.

When Luffy had opened the doors to the school entrance, he immediately noticed the shiver that Zoro made when the cold air hit his figure. The dark haired boy frowned and grabbed the man's hand, pulling him out into the wintry environment. His house was quite near to the school compared to the other students' houses. So it would be best if they charged out into the cold quickly and made it back to his house as fast as possible. Zoro shivered as Luffy pulled him out from the warmth of the school and into the chilliness of whatever it was that lay outside. The smell of crisp ice and dead leaves surrounded him. He nearly gasped as his feet touched something cold and wet. The things that Luffy had slipped onto his feet prevented his soles from getting wet but his toes were starting to freeze… Where was Luffy taking him? Weren't they going to his home? Why did they have to go through such a cold place?

Luffy felt Zoro tremble through their clasped hands and the boy pulled the larger man closer to him, to shield out the wind. He trekked through the layer of snow, ignoring the numbing and stinging pain coming from his feet as he trampled through the icy white surface with his bare feet. Almost there… The boy chanted in his head, urging Zoro to move faster so that the both of them could find shelter and warmth. We're almost there…

The two young men battled their way through the chilling wind and the frozen snow and ice. In the distance, Luffy spotted his small cottage with the inside lights off and wooden structure wet from the snow that piled up against it. A wide smile split across his face as he found his humble refuge. He tugged on Zoro's hand and pulled the man towards the cottage. "Zoro, c'mon. We're almost to my home." The green haired man struggled through the thickening snow around his ankles and he shivered trying to move his freezing limbs faster to stay warm and reach Luffy's home more rapidly. He almost tripped but Luffy quickly supported him with his other hand, firmly gripping Zoro's arm up so that the man didn't fall into the snow and become colder.

With a few last steps, the two made it to the doorway and Luffy shoved open the wooden door of his home, pushing off the heavy pile of snow from the front step. He hastily led Zoro inside and securely closed the entrance door, shutting out the cold. Letting out a sigh of relief, the boy looked up and smiled as the green haired man sniffed at the air, trying to make sense of his surroundings. Zoro took in a deep breath. This was definitely Luffy's home… it smelled just like him… a soft, warm, and meat-like smell wafting around in the air. It smelled good... The green haired man let a ghost of a smile touch his lips betraying the joy in his heart. The smile had been so small that it almost seemed as if it had never existed. But Luffy caught it and grinned widely, happy that Zoro liked his home. "Ok, let's go and get you cleaned up!" He sped towards his drawers and pulled them open, searching for some clean clothes that might fit on the man. The boy glanced over his shoulder, studying Zoro's form. The man was a little taller than him so his pants might be too short… his shoulders were wider than his as well… Luffy pouted. This would be harder than he thought… why were their body structures so different…? The black haired boy noticed that he was studying Zoro's body too intensely and he flushed slightly and puffed out his cheeks, returning to his task at hand. He fingered through the articles of clothing. Too small. Too short. Too tight. Still too small. Did he have nothing that fit Zoro?

The green haired man played with his fingers, something he had made a habit of whenever he had felt uneasy. He had felt Luffy's gaze on him previously and he wondered what Luffy was doing now. It was still cold even though they were already inside the house… maybe Luffy went off to make it warmer…?

The black haired boy finally spotted a large dark blue T-shirt that he normally didn't wear. Stuffed at the back of his drawer was another pair of baggy black sweatpants. They looked long enough to fit on Zoro… "Aha! Found them!" He held up the two articles of clothing victoriously and then turned to the green haired man. "I've got you some clothes! Now let's get you cleaned up." The boy led the man into another room where a small bath, that looked almost like a metallic barrel, stood over a few bricks and a fireplace. Luffy handed Zoro the clothes and sat the man down on a stool in the room. The boy then quickly lit the fire by pulling out a string of hair from his head and blowing it into the furnace. A warm fire sprang into flames and danced cheerily for him. Luffy smiled and tossed a few bricks into the fire, waiting for them to warm up.

Zoro fingered the clothes in his hands curiously, feeling the soft fabric repeatedly with his fingers. Were these for him…? They felt so nice compared to the sticky coarse sheet he was wearing right now… The man heard Luffy stand and walk towards him. Then, the boy's hands took him by the arm again and he let himself be pulled in a random direction. As he walked, he felt something warm in front of him. Luffy grabbed the stool Zoro had been sitting on and placed it on the ground so that Zoro could sit again. "I made a fire. I have to heat up the water before you take a bath so…"

The green haired man nodded and sat in front of the fire, staring at the warm flames although he could not see them. The two of them sat side by side, warming themselves up. Luffy stared at the flames and then glanced at Zoro curiously. His gaze dropped again and he picked up a pair of tongs from the ground to check and see if the bricks were ready. He poked at the bricks and sighed, knowing that they probably hadn't heated up enough. The boy snuck a glance at Zoro again and he licked his lips, watching the man's cloudy eyes. "Umm, Zoro?"

"Hm?" The green haired man turned an ear towards Luffy so he could hear better. The boy scratched his chin idly.

"Ah, well… I was just wondering. Can you see anything now?"

Zoro's eyebrows furrowed together and stared at the warmth that was coming from only a foot away from him. "Is that warm thing supposed to be really bright…?"

Luffy glanced at the fire and watched the dancing flames for a moment before answering simply, already knowing Zoro's answer. His eyes lowered to the ground. "Yeah."

A weary look fell upon the man's face and he stared straight at the fire with a wistful look on his face. "Then I can't see anything." A tense silence fell upon the two as he finished speaking. Luffy poked at the brick cooking in the fire and Zoro fingered the soft cloth in his hands as if it would comfort him. Suddenly, the black haired boy slammed the tongs to the ground and stood up, a scowl on his face. Zoro blinked in surprise, feeling Luffy standing over him. Fear leapt into his heart. Why did Luffy suddenly change character like that? Had he done something wrong? Would Luffy beat him now…? Would he start throwing him across the room and claw at his head…? The man braced himself, waiting for the blows. But they never came as he had expected. Instead, Luffy's voice came to him in a low yet powerful tone.

"There must be a way to get you to see things …"

Zoro stared up into the darkness, trying to imagine what the boy looked like as he listened to his determined voice. But then a smirk crossed his lips and he stared at the ground. "It's ok. I don't mind being blind…"

"Liar." Luffy retorted, his own smirk in place, "I'm sure you don't like bumping into things in the dark, either. If we find a way to cure your blindness, you could see again!" The boy paced the room, scratching at his head, trying to think of a way to help Zoro. He weaved his fingers through his hair and then realized what he could've done earlier. "Ah! I've got it! I can use magic!"

Zoro's head shot up in surprise. "Magic…?"

"Yeah!" Luffy smiled, "Actually, you seem to have more magic than normal people, Zoro. Don't you listen to what the principal says?"

Zoro blinked, a look of puzzlement ingrained onto his face. "Principal…?"

"Yeah! The one who took your hair and used it to power the school." Luffy crouched down next to the green haired man, mirroring the look of confusion on his face. "Wait… you never knew you could use your magic…?"

"I…" Zoro shook his head. Magic… he could use magic…? But… how?

Luffy tapped his chin and stared at the fireplace in thought. "Hmm, maybe that's why the principal locked you up there… he doesn't like people using magic. And maybe he found out that you had a lot of life energy so he forced you to grow your hair long…" The boy nodded to himself. It all made sense…!

Zoro fiddled with his fingers. He could do magic…? Magic existed…? But how? And what was Luffy talking about? Growing his hair long… what did that do? "Hair…?" He asked quietly, unsure if he should ask in case Luffy grew impatient with all of his questions. But the boy merely grinned.

"If you use your hair, you can do magic!" The boy explained, "You just take one strand of your hair and make a wish on it. And it will come true depending on how much life energy you have." Zoro's eyes widened in fascination, listening to the unbelievable words Luffy was speaking to him. He could've escaped a long time ago…? And by himself…? He could've wished to be free and he would've been free…? "But, the things you do with magic also trades an equal amount of life energy from your body. So, for example, if you tried to bring someone back to life with your magic, you'd probably die, lose your soul, and your existence would vanish from the face of earth." Luffy recited as if it were from a textbook. The boy studied Zoro carefully and then scratched his head, "But…I wonder if you would be able to bring someone back to life…? Your magic is providing light and power for the school for the next three years and yet you haven't collapsed in exhaustion yet… that's just amazing…!"

Zoro flushed pink from the praise, feeling his entire body shoot up in warmth. What was this feeling? Why did he grow so hot just from hearing those words spill from Luffy's mouth…? No one had ever told him that he was amazing before… The green haired man ducked his head into his arms, trying to shield the boy from seeing his bashful face. Luffy blinked and then laughed loudly.

"Haha! Zoro, it's nothing to be embarrassed about. You really are amazing, you know?" The raven haired boy smiled widely, "The first time I saw you, I thought you were a mythical creature. You looked so calm…" And lonely… the smile on Luffy's face dulled a little, but the joy in his heart still pounded happily in his chest. Because as long as Zoro was here with him, they both wouldn't be alone anymore. They knew that the other existed and as long as someone knew that he had been living once, it was good enough. Luffy was sure Zoro would never forget him. And he was sure he could never forget Zoro…

The fire from the furnace suddenly crackled loudly and Luffy blinked, snapping out of his thoughts. Zoro still had his head buried in his arms, face and ears flushing bright pink. Luffy chuckled and checked small bath to see if there was enough water inside. He nodded in satisfaction as the container of water was full and then stooped down to pick up the tongs from the ground. He peered into the fire and pulled out a flaming brick. Then, he carefully moved it towards the water and dropped it in. A loud hiss came from the hot brick as it touched the water and sunk to the bottom of the bath. Zoro flinched from the sound and looked up from his arms in surprise, wondering where the sound had come from. Luffy grabbed another two bricks with his tongs and tossed them into the bath. He set the tongs against the wall and wiped the sweat forming upon his brow. "Whew… right, now we just need to wait for the water to heat up and wait for the bricks to cool down." Luffy smiled and poked a finger into the water, feeling around for the temperature. The water had heated up considerably but it still wasn't warm enough. The boy sighed and glanced towards Zoro, noticing that the man was still wearing his filthy robe. His mouth fell into an 'o'. Then he took the clothes from the man's arms and hung them up on the wall. Zoro waited nervously, wondering what Luffy would do next.

"Zoro, I'm going to wash your hair. Can you bend forward…?" The green haired man blinked but then complied. His hair had never been washed before… how would it feel…? He leaned forward and waited, holding his breath anxiously. Would it hurt…? Luffy grabbed a small bucket and sponge from the corner of the room and filled its contents with the warm water from the bath. He walked over to Zoro's form and lifted up the bucket over the man's head. Then, with a gentle tilt, the water cascaded down from the lip of the bucket and pressed down upon the man's green head, cleansing and brushing through his scalp. Zoro gasped as he felt a warm and wet liquid engulf his head. He could feel a dull stinging pain coming from his scalp and the smell of blood… But then he quickly grew used to the gentle pressure being applied to his head by the water. The stinging pain dulled so much that it didn't hurt anymore. And the smell of blood faded as the smell of winter, burning wood, and Luffy surrounded him. It felt so nice… so relaxing… he could feel his worries washing away along with the water, running down his face and onto the floor. Luffy put the bucket on the ground and picked up a bar of soap from the shelf. He lathered up a few bubbles and wove his hands into Zoro's hair, smiling as he felt the soft strands of green hair in his hands. The clumps of dried blood dissolved into the water and as Luffy massaged Zoro's scalp, the blood broke away into smaller bits, turning the soap a faint brownish color. Zoro closed his eyes, sighing as Luffy's hands worked at his scalp, rubbing at all the right spots, ridding the itchiness from his head.

When Luffy finished he grabbed the bucket and filled it with water again. Then, he brought it over Zoro's head and poured the water down, washing away the soap and the filth from the man's hair. The boy smiled when he saw the nearly clean mop of messy green hair before him and he noticed the man glancing towards him, the strands of green hair falling over his cloudy eyes. Zoro looked so much better now…! And there was a small pout on the green haired man's lips that had to make Luffy stifle a laugh. What a strange look! Zoro pouting. Did he want him to wash his hair again? Luffy smiled widely and he lathered up his hands in soap bubbles again before standing over the green haired man and massaging his scalp for a second time. Zoro hummed happily and closed his eyes again, thoroughly enjoying the cleaning. He wished he could do this more often… cleaning himself felt so good…

As Luffy finished pouring a third bucket of water over Zoro's head, he went to feel the water. It felt hot enough to soak in… The boy nodded and then moved towards Zoro to tug on the man's coarse robes. "Ok, Zoro. The bath is ready. I need you to take off your clothes so I can wash you clean."

At first, the green haired man froze but then he slowly did as he was told, peeling off the robe he was wearing. He was a little nervous. By taking off his clothes, he would feel extremely uneasy and exposed. At least with the sheet wrapped around him, he felt more protected. But by taking off the clothes, he would be trusting Luffy to take care of him… Zoro swallowed and then finished undressing, holding the sticky robes in his arms while standing naked in the bathroom, shifting uneasily from foot to foot. But Luffy merely responded by sitting the man down in the stool and taking the dirty robes from him. Zoro shivered, sitting on the stool silently. Where was Luffy now…? What would happen next…? His body was starting to grow chilly from the small gusts of wind blowing in through the cracks in the walls. Then he heard Luffy dip the bucket into the bath of water. The boy walked towards Zoro and slowly emptied the water out onto Zoro's pale and naked body. The man sat through the waterfall of warm water but then shivered as the wind blew against his wet skin. "Sorry. It'll be a little cold for a while. But when you're clean, you can go soak in the warm bath." He heard Luffy murmur into his ear. Something soft suddenly started rubbing against his right arm and Zoro almost flinched away if it wasn't for Luffy's firm grip on him. "It's just a sponge, Zoro." The green haired man heard the hint of amusement in Luffy's voice and couldn't help but blush at his cowardly actions. He let the boy scrub at his arms and back and chest and the boy washed his legs and feet thoroughly before applying another bucket of water to the man's body. When Luffy finished, Zoro sat up straight, blinking at how strangely fresh he felt. The sticky and greasy feeling was gone. And the heavy stink that he used to smell around him had disappeared. The man stretched his toes out and flexed them a few times, feeling astonished by how clear and unleashed they felt. His back was breathing. He could feel the wind blowing at his chest and he welcomed the fresh and crisp feeling. A small smile spread across Zoro's lips and Luffy smiled back, happy with the amazement the green haired man showed while studying his clean body.

"Ok, into the bath now. The bricks shouldn't be too hot anymore." Luffy helped Zoro up from the stool and towards the barrel of heated water. He pulled off the sandals on the man's feet and led him to the small bath. "Just climb in. It's warm." Zoro nodded and lifted a leg over the side of the barrel, feeling the warm water engulf his foot and leg. A tingling feeling rushed up his spine and he slowly brought his other leg into the bath. Luffy grinned, watching Zoro settle into the bath with a confused look on his face. "Feels nice, huh?" The green haired man blinked and leaned his back testily against the edge of the bath. Then he nodded, eyes smiling in delight. It felt wonderful…! Luffy laughed and he picked up Zoro's dirty clothes from the ground. He'd wash these, just in case Zoro wanted to keep them. Because although they were useless against the cold of the country and were probably a reminder of the lonely and torturous past he once had, the old robes were a link to Zoro's past and links such as that should not be so easily thrown away. Luffy smiled at the disgusting robes in his hands. It was better to accept the past and then learn how to move on, forever forward…

"I'm gonna go make some food for us, ok? You just sit there and enjoy yourself!" Luffy chimed cheerily and stuffed the dirty robes into the bucket, planning to clean them later. Zoro nodded, causing his wet bangs to flop up and down carelessly. Luffy chuckled and watched the hair flop around wildly. Speaking of hair… he still had to cut the man's hair so that it looked more neater. Right now, Zoro looked so disheveled with some hair sticking up here and there and part of his hair longer than the other parts of his hair.

Luffy slipped out the door of the room and headed towards the kitchen. He started searching and checking for anything edible. He spotted a bag of bread on the kitchen counter and a few eggs in the ice box. The boy grinned, happy with his find and lit the stove up with another strand of hair. Hopefully Zoro would like eggs and bread? Maybe if he could find some cheese it would make the bread more tasty… After clumsily cracking four eggs over a frying pan and stirring them over the stove, he let the eggs cook and sizzle light brown. He sniffed at the dish, mouth starting to water from the simple smell of cooked eggs. Then, he plated the eggs, dumping the entire thing onto one of the ceramic plates lying on the counter. The dark haired boy brought the dish and the bag of bread to the middle of the room where a low table with a comfortable rug underneath it stood. He set the food onto the table and then headed back to the bathroom to check up on Zoro. The green haired man was still sitting in the same position he had left him in but the man's eyes were closed peacefully. Luffy stood at the doorway, feeling as if he had seen Zoro like this before. He smiled to himself, studying the man's face. He had that powerful calmness surrounding him again. Except this time… it didn't feel as closed off and lonely. The dark haired boy knocked on the door, causing Zoro to open his eyes in surprise. "I've got the food ready!" Luffy grabbed his towel from the wall and waited patiently for the man to clamber out from the warm bath. Once Zoro had stepped out, the boy wrapped the towel around Zoro and proceeded to pat him dry. Then, he let Zoro pat himself dry and he left the man's side to fetch the clean clothes from the wall. "Here, I couldn't find anything else that could fit you so…"

Zoro nodded and accepted the clothes gratefully. Then, he tried to put them on but he wasn't sure which side was the one his head should enter. Luffy laughed and bounced over to help the man into the clothes. After pulling up the sweatpants, Zoro looked over to where he thought Luffy was. "Food…?" He asked timidly, remembering Luffy mention something about making and finishing the food. The black haired boy stepped back and observed the clothes on Zoro. Mmhmm, not bad. Everything fit perfectly. Nothing looked too tight. He smiled, the edges of his lips stretching from cheek to cheek. "Mmhmm!" The boy took Zoro by the arm and brought him to the middle of the room, pushing the man down into a seated position on the rug. The smell of eggs wafted into Zoro's nose and the man's stomach growled loudly. His cheeks grew pink in embarrassment but Luffy wordlessly passed him the plate of eggs and bread. Then he grinned, "It's not much, but it should fill you up. Eat as much as you want!" Zoro held the plate of eggs in his hands in shock. He could eat as much as he wanted…? All of this…? When Luffy handed him a fork, it completely answered his question and the man dug into the plate of eggs, wolfing down the food. The strong egg flavor filled his nose, mouth, and stomach with warmth and he set the plate down, reaching around the table for the bag of bread. He took a few bites of the tender bread and then he wolfed the entire thing down. Luffy laughed as Zoro shoveled food into his mouth and he grabbed a few pieces of bread for himself, ripping off larges pieces of the bread with his teeth. He stood up and opened the ice box, searching for any cheese leftover from his last visit to the grocer's. There were still a few pieces of cheese in the ice box. They sat there, smiling cheerily back at Luffy's face. The boy hastily grabbed them and brought the pieces of cheese to Zoro. "Wanna try this?" The green haired man felt for Luffy's hands and felt a lump of something cold in the boy's palms. What was it? He picked it up and sniffed it curiously. It didn't smell bad… He took a small bite of one piece. Then, his eyes lit up and he smiled at the sweet yet strongly salty taste of cheese. He finished the cheese and ate another piece of toast. Luffy chortled, holding his stomach to support his laughter. At this rate, it seemed like Zoro could eat more than he could! And that was saying something…

When Zoro started to calm down and eat slower, Luffy glanced out the small window of his house. The pale blue moon was slowly setting and the boy started to think about what he would do with Zoro for the next few days. Would the man stay with him in this house? He couldn't bring Zoro to school… the principal would try to lock him up again… Then, Zoro would stay in the house? But he couldn't see anything… if he wanted to go somewhere in the house, he might bump into something and hurt himself… Luffy's eyebrows creased together. Maybe he had to use his magic… but Luffy wasn't stupid. He knew that the cost of curing Zoro's blindness would be very large. After all, regaining one's senses was almost equivalent to regaining another life. The raven haired boy frowned slightly. With the rest of the energy he had left for today, he could probably restore Zoro's eyesight a little bit. So, the green haired man would probably have one blurry eye and another blind one. Luffy idly watched the small moon reaching for the horizon, wondering what he could do in order to use the least amount of energy to restore Zoro's eyesight.

Oblivious to Luffy's thoughts, the green haired man reached a hand out to Luffy and fortunately found the boy's uniform sleeve. Zoro pulled at the sleeve, wishing to gain the boy's attention. Luffy shook his head and then fixed his eyes upon Zoro. "Huh?"

The green haired man jumped in his seat on the rug and he was quiet for a few seconds. But Luffy waited patiently. Zoro licked his lips and then finally opened his mouth to speak. "…thanks…" He mumbled in his throat. Luffy felt a surge of warmth rise in his cheeks. Someone… had said thank you… to him? He beamed at the green haired man.

"What are friends for, right?"

Zoro couldn't see the bright smile pasted onto Luffy's face but he could feel the vibrant energy that had flooded off of Luffy in waves when he had spoken a word of thanks. The green haired man smiled. "Friends…"

The black haired boy nodded and then got distracted by Zoro's uneven hair cut. He giggled and then pushed off of his knee, rising to his feet. "Those people did such a bad cut with your hair. I'll fix it up for you! Hold on, lemme go find a pair of scissors." And then he left the man's side to find the pair of scissors. Zoro felt his smile slide from his face. Hair cut? Scissors…? A feeling of dread rose in his chest, nearly choking him. Could he have trusted Luffy too much? Was the boy going to abuse him now? The green haired man sat frozen to his seat, too afraid to move, too afraid to stay.

Luffy returned, a pair of scissors in his hands, to see a very tense looking Zoro, sitting on the rug. The large smile on Luffy's face fell and he realized that his mention of scissors must've scared Zoro. He sighed and set the scissors down on the table. Zoro still couldn't completely trust him, huh… As Luffy moved closer to the scared man, he grit his teeth in annoyance. Just how long was Zoro going to act like this?

The green haired man tensed even more when he felt Luffy come near him. And then suddenly, an unexpected blow hit his cheek. He could feel the inside of his cheek cut open from brushing against his teeth. Zoro flew across the floor, cheek stinging in pain. Luffy frowned, eyes shadowed by his black bangs and he stood in his spot, fist still clenched tightly. Stupid Zoro… if he wouldn't do anything about it, he'd just have to teach the guy a lesson! Zoro lay on the ground, completely shocked from Luffy's punch. He was right all along… Luffy wasn't his friend. He had only lured him into a trap... to leave him completely defenseless and then attack. He should never have opened up to Luffy so much. By trusting the boy, it only hurt him more when he betrayed him. The green haired man stayed on the ground in a weary slump. He was so tired of this. Tired of not being able to trust anyone he met…

Just as the green haired man was about to give in, to let the boy do whatever he wanted with him, Luffy's stern voice rang in his ears like a jolt of electricity.

"Stand up and fight, Zoro."

The man's half closed eyes suddenly widened as he registered Luffy's words. Stand up… and fight…? No one had ever told him to do that… he had always been beaten to the ground mercilessly. Could he stand…? Was he allowed to fight back…? "Fight me, Zoro." The green haired man lifted his head from the ground, cloudy eyes staring at Luffy in confusion. Then, the rest of his body moved. Slowly, slowly, like a morphing caterpillar into a butterfly, Zoro raised himself from the ground. First his arms, then his knees and legs. And then, he was up. Standing on his feet, facing Luffy. The dark haired boy grinned. "Finally." And then he jumped forward, a fist at the ready. Zoro heard the swish of Luffy's clothes and his stomach lurched nervously while his heart beat in excitement. He was coming! The man hastily threw out his own punch and managed to knick Luffy's cheek. But Luffy was faster and punched Zoro in the gut, causing the man to sink onto one knee and clutch at his stomach in pain. The two boys took a few deep breaths from the sudden exertion of energy. Then, Zoro stood up again, a little quicker this time. He wouldn't fall without putting up a fight anymore. No more… Luffy charged forward and aimed another punch for the green haired man. But Zoro clumsily blocked the boy's blow and threw one of his own, knocking his fist into Luffy's nose and sending the boy tumbling backwards. Luffy hit the wall of his house with a heavy thud and Zoro froze on his feet. Was Luffy ok…? He took a tentative step forward, wondering whether or not he should help the boy. Suddenly, he heard the familiar carefree chuckle he had gotten used to hearing ever since he met the raven haired boy. An easy smile fell across Zoro's face and he relaxed his muscles, listening to Luffy's chuckles change into full-blown peals of laughter.

"Now you know what to do the next time you meet the principal, naa?" Luffy laughed lightly and rubbed at his nose for the third time since this day. Then, he bounced onto his feet and then walked towards Zoro. "Now let me trim your hair. You look really stupid with your hair like that. I'll fix it up so that you look more cooler!" The boy grinned and gently pushed Zoro to the ground so that he could stand and cut the man's hair easily. Zoro obliged this time, feeling less anxious. His heart still pounded quickly in his chest from the short but exhilarating fight he had just had with Luffy, but if there was anyone in this world he could trust, he had no doubt it would be Luffy… and that thought put a smile in his heart. He sat calmly on the floor of Luffy's cottage, waiting for the foreboding sound of snipping scissors. He would fight this. He would fight and get rid of this fear once and for all…!

Luffy grabbed the scissors from the table and walked to Zoro, studying the man's hair and wondering how he should cut it. Maybe… shear off the top and leave the bottom…? Or shear off the bottom and leave the top…? Finally, he just decided upon cutting the hair so that everything looked at even lengths. The boy set himself to work, snipping the scissors and slicing through bits of Zoro's short green hair. The man flinched the first few times he heard the scissors snip and a few times, when Luffy's scissors strayed too close to his scalp, his hand twitched involuntarily. But, Zoro kept calm and closed his eyes, trying to remember the feeling of sitting in the warm bath Luffy had made for him. He started to close off all sounds of snipping scissors or the memories of painful stabs to his head ever since he had been locked up, and he started to focus solely upon Luffy's hands. Luffy's fingers weaving gently through his hair, Luffy's palms patting his head so that the excess hair fell to the floor and did not get in the way of his job. Luffy's sweet smell. Luffy's warm touch… Zoro's hand lifted off of the floor and grabbed the boy's hand, holding it lightly in his own. He was so glad he had met him…

The boy paused in his work, surprised by Zoro's sudden impulsive motion. He stared at Zoro in confusion, blinking a few times. Why was the man holding his hand? Had he done something Zoro didn't want…? The man snapped out of his thoughts, realizing what he had done, and quickly withdrew his hand, flushing completely red in the face, thoroughly embarrassed by his actions. Luffy smiled and continued his work, snipping and trimming at Zoro's green hair. He didn't really understand what had just happened but the tingle on his skin where Zoro had held him felt good… so it shouldn't have been a bad thing, right?

The moon was disappearing under the line of the horizon and Luffy finished up with Zoro's new hair cut. "There!" He threw the scissors onto a chair and eagerly ran around Zoro to observe the man's new look. The boy's eyes went round. "Wow, you look so cool, Zoro!" Luffy laughed, staring at the now shortly cropped hair and short side burns on either side of his face. He put his fingers over the man's forehead and traced the lines near his eyebrows. He chuckled good naturedly, "But you look so serious, Zoro. Your eyebrows are all creased together." The boy rubbed the creases with his thumbs, trying to smooth them out and make Zoro look more happier. The green haired man smiled at Luffy's actions and closed his eyes.

"Thank you, Luffy…" This time it wasn't a whisper. A wide grin spread across the boy's face, glad that the man was gaining more confidence and acting more openly around him. Luffy stared into Zoro's cloudy eyes when the man opened them again. Now all he had to do was get rid of his blindness… but how could he do that…? He glanced out the window behind Zoro and noticed that the sky was growing steadily brighter. Suddenly, it dawned upon him. The raven haired boy smiled brightly and he plucked a strand of hair from his head. He held it up in between Zoro and himself and then he started to speak.

"Zoro, I'm gonna make you see the sunrise, no matter what…" He smiled and Zoro's face changed into a look of puzzlement. "Although you'll turn blind again during the night, wherever the sun's rays touches, you will be able to see clearly. This is my wish." He blew softly at the strand of hair and he watched it disappear into the air between him and Zoro. And then he felt the energy drain from his body, as if a leech was slurping out every last bit of blood in his body. His muscles relaxed and he felt his body start to slack. His vision was starting to grow unfocused. The last thing he saw before slumping over, like a bag of loose grain, was the sun's rays breaking in through the window, illuminating the entire cottage and snowy lands surrounding them.

A few seconds after Luffy finished his words, Zoro felt something fall heavily into his lap and then he felt the warm rays of the sun upon his back. Suddenly, he was staring at something dark brown and a few other colors. What was that…? The wall of the house…? He blinked a few times and then glanced around in astonishment, a little unnerved by his sudden ability to see clearly. This was what the world looked like…? This was what was outside of his darkness…! A bubbling feeling threatened to burst from his chest and the man felt like jumping up in glee, feeling so at joy for having gained the ability to see. He could look out the window, he could see the messy plate of eggs he had eaten on the table, and he could see the sun's blinding rays flooding into the room. Zoro stared over his shoulder and out the window, watching the beautiful scene wordlessly. The snowy fields sparkled back at him, as if welcoming him into the world, and the sun peered over the edge of the horizon, waving back at him in greeting. "Luffy…! Luffy, I can see! I can see the sunrise!" Zoro whispered, trying to hold back the excitement flooding out from his body. He glanced down at his lap, where the heavy thing had fallen and his eyes widened as he found a black haired boy lying lifelessly in his lap. "Luffy…?" Zoro shook the boy gently, hoping that he would wake up and that it wasn't what he feared. "Luffy?" He shook the boy a little more roughly this time. The boy let out a loud snore and hummed in a small whining tone before curling up against the green haired man. Zoro let his muscles relax. Luffy was only sleeping… The man chuckled softly, a little unused to laughing. But this occasion called for some sort of laughter. He stared at the sleeping boy in his lap and shook his head. "You're a stupid idiot…" A smile graced the man's lips and he studied the boy's features with his newfound ability to see. Luffy looked almost like a child. His face looked soft and smooth to the touch and his black hair lay messily upon Zoro's right leg. There was a small scar on the boy's face and Zoro ran a finger across it, wondering where it had come from. Some dribble was threatening to drip from Luffy's mouth. Zoro chuckled again and shifted the boy's head and body so that he could comfortably sleep in his lap and not drool on him at the same time. Zoro studied Luffy's face over and over again. A countless number of times, trying to engrave every feature of Luffy's face in his memory. The boy was everything and more than what Zoro had imagined Luffy would be like. And he smiled. And smiled, staring at this slumbering boy in his lap.

**.:.**


	3. Chapter 3

**.:.**

Luffy groaned and rubbed at his itchy eyes. He yawned and wiped away the tears that formed on the edge of his eyes and then stretched his limbs, feeling strangely off balance from sleeping on something lumpy. He must've gotten tangled in the blankets again… But still, he felt so refreshed now. "Ah… what a nice nap." He smiled and was about to sit up straight and get ready for school when he finally noticed a pair of green eyes staring back down at him. The boy's eyes grew round and he blinked a few times. "Z-Zoro! What are you doing here?"

The green haired man chortled and then he mock glared at the black haired boy using his lap as a pillow. "What do you mean, 'What am _I_ doing here'? Shouldn't I be asking why _you've_ been using _my_ lap as a pillow for the past **two **days?" Zoro raised an eyebrow at the boy and Luffy jumped up from his spot, feeling extremely flustered.

"Wha…? I've been…? It's been…?" Luffy glanced around the room in confusion and his eyes finally settled upon Zoro again. "I've been sleeping for… two days…?" He asked weakly, staring at the green haired man with large eyes. Zoro nodded his head, staring at Luffy through accusing eyes. The boy leapt to his feet and started gripping at his hair nervously. "Oh shit, I've missed two days of classes? And… and…" He spun on his foot and pointed his index finger shakily at Zoro who was still sitting on the ground. "Don't tell me you haven't moved from that spot or eaten for the past two days?" The two stared at each other silently, neither moving from their spot. Luffy watched the green haired man, waiting anxiously for his response, his lips set in a grim line. Zoro stared back at Luffy for a few seconds. Then, he averted his gaze quickly to the ground, smiling mysteriously in a 'heh' kind of fashion, trying to avoid the boy's question. Luffy's jaw nearly dropped to the ground at the man's reaction and he hastily sped towards the kitchen. "Sorry! I'll make you something right away…!"

Zoro smiled and watched as Luffy busied himself in the kitchen. He really didn't mind. The man was used to staying in one spot for longer than two days and he usually ate only three times per week. It was no problem for him to go hungry for two days… so why was Luffy making such a big deal of it? After all, he had been content to just watch the boy's slumbering face and the change of light from dawn to dusk. He had also realized what Luffy had meant by the words in his wish before he could see. Whenever night fell, Zoro couldn't see anything anymore… He went blind again. The green haired man had felt a little disappointed that he couldn't see the night scenery… but the images of the day and Luffy's face kept his mind busy enough. It was already amazing enough to be able to wake up and see light anyway. He didn't need to wish for more.

Zoro watched as Luffy moved around in the kitchen, stirring up another batch of eggs over a fire. He observed every movement the boy took, smiling at the boy's careless and exaggerated motions. It had already been incredible enough just to see what Luffy looked like in his sleep but now that the boy was in motion, Zoro found that he couldn't take his eyes away from the boy. In only a few minutes, which felt like only a few seconds in Zoro's opinion, Luffy came back with a steaming plate of eggs and a lump of cheese. The boy set the food on the table and grabbed the bag of bread that had been left out for two days. After examining a piece he sighed sadly and tossed it back into the bag. "It's stale…" The boy pouted and heard his own stomach gurgle angrily at him. Zoro smiled, staring at Luffy's pouting face. The dark haired boy noticed the green haired man's gaze upon him and he turned his pout towards Zoro. "What?" The man studied the boy's face a few times over and then shook his head.

"Nothing." Zoro chuckled and then reached for the fork on the table. Luffy stared at the green haired man and then narrowed his eyes.

"You can see now, can't you…?" He asked slowly, watching the man stab a piece of egg with the fork in his hands. Zoro answered by smirking and biting the egg off of the fork. Luffy jumped up onto his feet, smiling widely. "Then my magic worked!" He hopped around excitedly and then settled down again, leaning close to Zoro. The green haired man looked up curiously, wondering why the boy was suddenly paying such close attention to him. "Your eyes…" Zoro heard Luffy mutter, "One is still cloudy but the other looks really bright… it's staring right at me." The man watched as a small frown etched its way across the boy's face and the boy's eyebrows knit together. "Looks like I failed to cure both of your eyes from blindness…"

Zoro didn't say anything back. But that had been another thing he had noticed in the past two days Luffy had been sleeping. He realized that he couldn't see to the right side as clearly as to his left side. So, he had tried closing one eye and then the other and that was when he had noticed that his right eye still remained blind. His left eye was very clear though… he could see so far away into the snow covered mountains through the window… The green haired man stared serenely out the window and then turned his gaze upon Luffy to show that it was fine for him to be blind in one eye. The fact that he could see even with one eye was good enough. But there was a determined look in the boy's eyes and his jaw was clenched together stubbornly.

"I'll cast my magic again!" The boy plucked a strand of hair from his head, holding it up in front of him and Zoro's eyes widened in fear, hoping the boy would not collapse in exhaustion again. "I'll cure your other eye right now!" Luffy nodded and was about to blow on the strand of hair when Zoro quickly leapt to his feet and tackled the boy to the ground. Luffy felt the strand of hair slip from his grasp and he gasped as the air was knocked out of his chest from Zoro's lunging tackle. The two young men tumbled across the ground of the floor and Zoro ended up on top of the boy. He quickly pinned Luffy's arms down to the ground, so that he wouldn't do any more rash motions, and he sighed exasperatedly.

"Luffy…" Zoro growled and stared down at the boy, an annoyed scowl on his face. Luffy stared up at the green haired man with wide round eyes, surprised by his sudden aggressiveness. The man continued, staring straight into the boy's brown eyes. "Look, I don't mind being blind in one eye and being blind during the night. It's ok. Having this one eye is good enough...! Don't risk yourself like that for me, ok?" Zoro removed his hands from Luffy's arms and he sighed rubbing the back of his neck. "I… I like it better when you're moving… and not lying motionlessly in my lap…" He glanced away and flushed from his sudden confession. Luffy blinked at Zoro for a moment, but then a smile bloomed across his lips.

"Ok then. If you say so!" He grinned widely and then propped himself up on his elbows. A mischievous glint shone in his eyes, "But…" Zoro blinked and turned his gaze back upon Luffy. A bead of sweat ran down the back of his head. The boy looked like he was up to something… "But," Luffy continued, beaming at the green haired man, "You have to cast magic on yourself and cure your own blindness! I'm sure you can do it!"

Zoro blinked again and he stared at Luffy curiously. Use his own magic…? Could he do it…? Was he… allowed to…? Luffy smiled back at him reassuringly, as if telling him that he didn't need to worry because no one would hold him back if he were to use his magic. The green haired man pondered this option for a moment. According to Luffy, he had enough energy to supply an entire school with power for three or more years…? Then, he wouldn't fall asleep like Luffy did if he used his magic…? Zoro lifted a hand up to his hair and plucked a short stubby piece of green hair from his scalp. He showed it to Luffy questionably and the boy nodded excitedly, wanting to watch the power of Zoro's hair work again. The green haired man stared at the small piece of hair between his fingers. Could this tiny sliver of hair really do so much…? He narrowed his eyes and bellowed, "I want to see!" Zoro could feel the desperately yearning feelings that he had held back in his heart suddenly shoot out and fly into that tiny strand of hair. And then he gave the hair a short sharp blow, turning the hair into a puff of green dust.

Luffy watched in awe as he felt something powerful descend into the room and gather around the green haired man kneeling over him. The cloudiness in Zoro's right eye started to swirl and fade away as every second passed by and then the green haired man blinked a few times, staring back at Luffy with two clear green eyes, both focused upon Luffy's astonished face. Zoro took a few deep breaths, feeling slightly weaker and more exhausted than before. He could feel the sweat forming on his brow, as if he had went for a few quick jogs around the cottage. But he hadn't fallen asleep as Luffy had. Was this… his power…? The reason why that man had locked him up…?

"Wow… Zoro really is amazing…" Luffy whispered, staring into the shining green eyes of Zoro, who was looking right back down at him. The two stared at each other for a moment, entranced by the other's eyes. But then Luffy realized that it was still a school day…! He gulped and hastily pulled himself away from Zoro and fumbled around, searching for his book bag. The green haired man blinked, wondering why Luffy had suddenly run off. He watched the dark haired boy open cabinets and drawers, searching for something. Luffy crawled under the couch, twisting into the narrow space like a kitten, bottom stuck high in the air. Where the heck was his book bag? Could he have left it at school? Zoro watched Luffy's bottom wave around in the air as the boy struggled in his search for whatever elusive object he was looking for. The green haired man felt a bead of sweat roll down the back of his head and he sighed, shaking his head. Zoro walked towards Luffy, feeling much more balanced now that he could see with his right eye as well as his left, and he crouched down to peer under the couch curiously.

"What are you looking for…?" He asked in his low voice, glancing around the bottom warily. Luffy pouted and pulled his head out from under the couch.

"I can't find it! My book bag!" The boy scratched at his head, trying to remember the last place he had put it. He remembered... stuffing the bag into the compartment in one of the desks that he sat in… Zoro pulled his head from under the couch, blowing off a piece of dust that had decided to stick to his hair. Luffy bopped his fist against the palm of his hand. "It must still be in school…"

Zoro felt a twinge of annoyance pulse in his brain. "You idiot! Why did you have to go through that entire search then?"

"Ah! What time is it?" The dark haired boy cried, glancing towards the sun. His eyes bulged as the sun was passing high above the cottage. "Holy crap! I'm super late!" He jumped in place and glanced from the plates of food to Zoro nervously and then from Zoro to the plates of food again in a repetitive cycle. The green haired man sighed and waved his hand at the boy.

"Yes, yes. I'll take care of it… you go off to your school." Luffy beamed happily at him and raced towards the door.

"Thanks, Zorooo!" And then with that, he raced out the door hastily in a gust of snow. The green haired man stared at the entrance for a moment or two, wondering how the boy had so much excessive energy even though it was he who had the excessive life force to cast strong magic… The man shrugged his shoulders and settled down at the table, poking at the eggs with his fork. He took a bite into the forkful and then sighed, chewing on it idly. They had gone cold… Zoro glanced around the room and sighed. Really… even though it was Luffy's home, without Luffy… it just didn't seem normal… The green haired man glanced out the window and then frowned, realizing that the view didn't look as good as when Luffy's head had been lying comfortably in his lap. His eyes lowered to the table. Damn… did he really depend on Luffy so much now…? He was starting to feel lonely again… How stupid. After all, Luffy would come back to him. But something in his gut told him otherwise… Suddenly, the door burst open and Zoro lifted his gaze up in surprise. The black haired boy of his thoughts was crouched beside him, grinning cheekily. The boy hastily grabbed a piece of stale bread from the table. Then, after a quick "peace" sign, Luffy ran towards the door and slammed it shut, shouting, "I'll be back, Zorooo! Don't worry!" And then the green haired man heard the pattering of feet on the snow, crunching the sparkling white ice and fading off into the distance. A small smile spread across Zoro's lips and he sighed, trying to release the tight bubble in his chest. He was feeling all nervous for no reason… Luffy would definitely return to him. Definitely.

The green haired man forked another spoonful of the cold eggs and chewed on them, smiling slightly. Even though they were cold, the taste was still very flavorful…! He took a bite of stale bread and continued to shovel the egg down his mouth. Just as he was about to bite into the delicious lump of cheese Luffy had prepared for him, someone opened the door again. Zoro paused mid-bite into the cheese and snorted. Luffy was back for more food, huh? He really wanted to continue eating the cheese, but maybe the boy would want some cheese to go with his bread? "Oi, Luffy… how many times will you - ?" He turned to face the person he thought was Luffy but instead of finding the cheery and warm face of the black haired boy, he met face to face with a masked person wearing a white sheet over his head and body. The green haired man dropped the lump of cheese in his hand and quickly jumped behind the couch, keeping a safe distance away from whoever that person was. His heart pumped wildly in his chest and his eyes darted from the first person to the other two people, also wearing white sheets, standing stoically at the doorway of the cottage. All three of them held rope and wooden sticks in their hands and Zoro's eyes narrowed dangerously. He recognized the smell coming from those people… but… how did they know he was here…?

**.:.**

Luffy slammed open the door to his classroom, panting heavily from sprinting from his house to the school in less than thirty seconds. "I'm sorry I'm late!" He yelled out, bowing his head apologetically. When he heard no answer, he blinked and looked up curiously. The teacher with her floppy textbook pushed her glasses up the bridge of her nose and continued teaching the class as if his shout had been as ignorable as the air that they breathed. And none of the students had turned their heads towards him. He frowned… Ok, he knew that none of the students really liked him that much, but ignoring him like this was taking it too far, wasn't it? And the teacher wasn't paying attention to him either? What the hell was going on? He stomped to the front of the room and waved a hand in front of the teacher's face but the woman merely flipped the page in the textbook and started speaking again. Luffy pouted and puffed out his cheeks in frustration. He flipped the page of the textbook back to the previous page and glared at the teacher angrily for ignoring him. It hurt. It hurt that even the teacher wouldn't acknowledge his existence… And the boy stared sadly at the teacher as she stared down at the textbook in confusion and flipped the page back to the next page.

Luffy sighed and walked towards the desk he normally sat in and found it vacant as usual with the seats surrounding it equally as vacant as the seat he sat in. The boy sat down and sighed tiredly. Then, he spotted the book bag he had been searching with Zoro this morning. He smiled and pulled the bag out, checking its contents to make sure no one had taken anything during the two days he had been absent. It was fine. Figured… who would want to touch the belongings of a nobody? What could a nobody possibly have as a possession? Luffy sighed and laid his head down on the desk, clutching the book bag close to his heart. He had searched so hard for this bag and he had left Zoro all alone at home just to come to school… yet why was he here…? To learn? He glanced away, narrowing his eyes in annoyance. Learning these things in this way was annoying… for him, everything was always best learned through experience… it was useless. Useless to come to school…

The black haired boy sighed and blew his dark bangs away from his eyes, glancing out the window dully. What was Zoro doing right at this moment…? Stuffing his face with egg, cheese, and bread? Luffy snickered to himself and smiled, feeling more at ease after thinking about the green haired man. The boy sighed contently and felt an overwhelming warmth spread through his body, stemming from his heart. He had been completely wrong about himself. He wasn't a nobody anymore…

As the class droned on and ended, Luffy stood from his seat and left the door, passing by the students and the teachers, smiling as they all ignored his presence. It didn't matter. His smile grew wider. Because he still had Zoro…! The lights of the halls hummed to him and he stared at them in wonder on his way towards the cafeteria. These were all powered by Zoro's magic… The boy closed his eyes, not caring whether or not he bumped into anyone or anything. He could feel Zoro's familiar energy pulsing through the school… Now that he was aware that the green haired man existed, he couldn't pretend that he didn't know and just walk through the halls calmly without paying attention to all the wonders Zoro's magic worked. The reason why that crystal lamp was shining for all the other students was because of Zoro. The reason why those students could eat a properly heated meal was because of Zoro. The reason why the cafeteria staff could easily clean up the trays was because Zoro's magic provided the energy to drive that washing machine…! Almost everything linked back to Zoro… Luffy stared at the walls of the school in amazement, watching everything in a new light. The green haired man truly was an amazing person, wasn't he…?

The boy walked down the hall, chewing at a loaf of melon bread that he had successfully taken from the cafeteria. No one had noticed, of course, since they were all ignoring his existence… He strolled down the halls, deciding to get to his last class as soon as possible. Although it was his favorite class—since the red haired professor taught it—he wished to return to Zoro as soon as possible and tell the man just how many things he did for the school. The boy laughed and bit into the melon bread, imagining the shocked look on Zoro's face the man would look back at him with. Luffy finished off the melon bread and licked his fingers clean before entering the classroom. He would probably be the first one there, but it didn't matter. That only meant he could speak to the red haired professor about his adventure last night…! The dark haired boy grinned and pulled open the doors of the classroom, expecting to see the regular red haired professor, making weird faces at him and poking his tongue out incessantly. But instead, his eyes widened as he saw the scarred face of the principal speaking calmly to the red haired professor. The red haired professor smiled and nodded along to the greasy haired man's words. Luffy felt a coldness creep over his body. The principal almost never left his office… What was he doing here…?

The greasy haired man smirked and then turned to smile at the dark haired boy. Luffy clenched his fists together and prepared himself for a battle, a low threatening growl in his throat. What was this guy's motive? The principal waved to the red professor and moved slowly towards Luffy, a smile upon his lips that grew more menacing and sly at every step he took towards the boy. Then, he stepped past the boy, standing very close to him. Luffy tensed and froze in his spot, not daring to turn around or jump away. His pupils dilated and he stared at the red haired professor humming to himself and writing something lazily across the board.

"Hello, Luffy…" The scarred man stopped right after moving past Luffy. He didn't look back to the boy and merely stood there, like a menacing force or wall that couldn't be moved. The principal snorted and walked off with a sweep of his robes. "You… are… expelled." His voice dripped sticky with honey, as if it were the sweetest thing to do. To expel a student from school. Luffy's eyes widened and when the principal had walked some distance away, the boy's limbs numbed enough for him to spin around and glare at the back of the principal. What did he mean? He was expelled…? His head snapped back to the red haired professor, humming happily, writing along the board with a black marker. Luffy gulped. By expelled… he didn't mean…? The boy slowly walked towards the red haired professor and tried to stay out of sight, hoping that was the reason why the man hadn't given him a word of greeting yet. Luffy felt his heart clench and dry as he approached the professor. Did… did he not see him…? The boy reached a hand out, wanting to tap the man's shoulder yet hesitating, not wanting to see himself touch the red haired professor and still gain no response. The boy dropped his hand to his side lifelessly, dangling for a while before slowing to a stop. Luffy lowered his head, staring at the floor with his hair covering his eyes, waiting for that familiar hand to ruffle his hair and laugh at him, telling him that everything was only a joke. And then the red haired professor turned around… flipped a page in the textbook… scratched his ear while staring out at the classroom… and then returned to the board, humming happily.

It wasn't long until the rest of the class entered the classroom. They settled in their seats and the red haired professor smiled at them. "Good afternoon, everyone! I'm going to start with roll call… although I'm sure all of you are here because you wouldn't even dream of missing my class, now would you?" He smiled and raised an eyebrow at the students. A few chuckles chimed from the students and he started calling out the first few names from the list. Luffy didn't move from his spot at the front of the room. He just stood there, going unnoticed by everyone… The boy waited and waited, waiting for his name to be called out. But when the names started going past 'M' and into the 'S's, a sinking feeling started growing in his head and stomach. This was what it meant to be expelled… he was now, to everyone… completely nonexistent… A small drop of salty tear fell from the boy's eyes but he swiftly wiped it away and clenched the handle of his bag tightly in his hand. Then, he sped out the door, away from the unconcerned mass of students and teachers. What had the principal done to them? How was it possible that they didn't even notice him…? Luffy sprinted down the hall, a determined look on his face. He skidded to a stop in front of the glass office of the principal and heaved heavily, not knowing whether it was from the sudden movement or from the anger welling up in his heart. The boy reached his hand to the glass door and shoved it open. The principal sat in his chair, shadowed out from the blinding light flooding in through the window. Luffy couldn't see the man properly but he was sure that the principal was smirking back at him slyly, as if he were being mocked and looked down upon.

Luffy scowled and stepped into the office, standing tall in the room. "Return them all to normal." The boy demanded, glaring at the principal. He must've cast some sort of spell upon all the students and teachers. There was no possible way everyone had decided to ignore them of their own will…

"Oh?" The principal snorted and leaned forward in his seat. "I've already expelled you and you still dare to stay in school and negotiate?" The low voiced man scowled, "Stop kidding with me, boy. I was thinking of giving you a few minutes to get yourself packed up and ready to leave, but instead you come to my office and demand that I change my decision?" The principal laughed loudly and Luffy's scowl grew even deeper. Really, he just wanted to punch that man in the face. The greasy haired man abruptly stopped laughing and slammed a fist on the table. "Stop dreaming, boy. You think you have more authority over me?"

Luffy stared defiantly at the principal. If the scarred man had cast a spell upon the students and the teachers, it didn't matter what happened to him, as long as he restored them back to normal… because forcing all of those people to forget him, against their own will… it was wrong! The dark haired boy stood in his place, unmoving. The scarred principal smirked and rose from his seat, opening a pouch hanging on the side of his waist.

"It seems like you won't be leaving without a punishment, eh…?" The man grinned and pulled out a strand of green hair, holding it delicately between his two fingers. "Why don't I let you have a taste of Zoro's power, huh? The power of his despair!" The principal nearly spit as he blew the strand of hair at Luffy forcefully, eyes boring down upon the boy in annoyance. Luffy's eyes widened as the green dust dissipated into the air. All of a sudden, his vision dimmed and the bright glass room was growing darker and darker. He blinked his eyes rapidly and rubbed at them, wondering why it was so dark although his eyes were still open. The principal's laughter came from nearby him and he put up his book bag to defend against any sneak attacks the man might make in the darkness. Something hard hit the back of his head and Luffy could feel his skull almost crunch under the impact. The boy gasped and then fell to the ground weakly, feeling all of his muscles relax and grow limp. The last thing he heard before losing conscious was the principals' sinister laughter ringing repeatedly over and over in his mind. He glanced up and could see nothing but darkness. The boy's eyelids drooped closed and he could feel unshed tears forming in his eyes.

_I'm sorry… Zoro…_

**.:.**

The green haired man struggled against the rope binding him, grunting from trying to escape from the hold of the three people wearing white. "Let go of me, you bastards…!" The three people gulped nervously, unused to this new and aggressive Zoro, but they held the man tightly in the ropes, not daring to let go, fearing the principal's wrath. The trio pulled at the green haired man, pulling him through the deep snow, towards the dark forest lying beside a large building with a large cross shape and lily insignia carved on the front. Suddenly, Zoro felt something change. He didn't know if it was the weather, if it was an extra gust of wind, or if it was his body, if his heart had quickened its pace, but he knew something had changed. Something had happened to Luffy. His eyes narrowed and he struggled even harder against the binds, chafing his arms raw. The people pulled desperately staring at each other and wondering where all of this strength had come from. The man had never shown such defiance before… Zoro twisted and turned in his spot, pulling away from the three people and messing up their balance. One of the captors tripped over a lump of snow and accidentally let go of their rope. The captor reached an arm out, shocked by his slip up. Zoro smirked and pulled away so that the man couldn't reach the rope. Then he twisted roughly again, sending the two other people thrashing around, trying to control the green haired beast bound in ropes. Before the person who had tripped could pick himself up, Zoro quickly started running through the snow, towards the building with the cross shaped insignia and blooming lily flower. He remembered seeing that on Luffy's uniform… perhaps this was the boy's school?

The people wearing white pulled back, digging their heels into the snow, trying to stop the green haired man, but Zoro merely smirked and ran forwards. The people leaned backwards, hoping their weight on the ropes would stay the fugitive but Zoro noticed his chance and stopped running forward, opting to move backwards. The sudden imbalance in tension sent the people falling backward onto their backs and they blinked in surprise. Zoro snorted and then started running towards the school building, bare foot, wearing only the dark blue shirt and sweatpants Luffy had given him. The ropes flapped behind him, dragging across the ground and occasionally jumping to the air as he sprinted as fast as he could towards the building. What had happened to Luffy? Did they know that Luffy was the one who freed him and that's why they were able to find him in Luffy's home…?

He raced towards the building, as if an avalanche were on his tail. He ran and ran as if his life depended on it. For right now, Luffy was his life. The only person he knew and trusted dearly. And if anything happened to the boy… because of him… he wouldn't be able to forgive himself. He could hear the people in white chasing after him hastily but he knew he was far ahead of them and that they would not catch up. His whole body was pumping… he had so much energy… the man started to wonder why he hadn't used it sooner. The wind whipped his face cold and his feet were numb and frozen from stepping in ice and snow for too long. But… no one could hold him back…! It was wonderful… and he could see everything… his feet moving beneath him in a blur, the black trees with peeling bark and bare branches, passing by second by second, the sun straying ever over his head, watching high over the entire world in its solitary throne. Suddenly, the doors of the school opened and out stepped a man with a scarred face and greasy hair. Zoro ran towards him, thinking that the man would let him pass, but the man stayed still, smiling at the green haired man. Zoro skidded to a halt in front of the man who wouldn't move from the doors. He narrowed his eyes at the smiling man, recognizing the cologne the man used on himself.

"Move aside." He grunted, standing straight, looking eye to eye with the principal. His eyes were cold and stoic, locked upon the other person. The principal merely smirked.

"No."

Zoro's eyebrows creased together in anger. "Where's Luffy?"

The principal shrugged. "In class, most likely."

"You lie." The green haired man's reply was a short staccato. There was no place to deny it. The principal snorted.

"Roronoa Zoro…" He shook his head sadly and reached a hand out to pat the green haired man's head. But Zoro pulled away, watching the man icily. The principal frowned. "What has that boy Monkey D. Luffy taught you on your trip outside? I'm not your enemy, Zoro…" He opened his arms wide and smiled kindly with a hint of pity upon his face. "I'm… your _friend_." Zoro scowled and glared at the man, furious that he dared call himself his friend. The principal continued and took a step closer towards the green haired man. "Can't you see? I've been helping you grow stronger and stronger over the years." The greasy haired man had a manic glint in his eyes. "I am helping you reach your potential…!" Zoro's hardened gaze started to dissolve as the principal stepped closer and closer. "Don't you understand? Whenever you despair, your power reaches the peak! I am only trying to help you reach there…" The principal stepped closer again and Zoro took a hesitant step backwards, feeling smaller and smaller as the scarred man before him seemed to tower over him. "You understand now? _I_ am your _true_ friend…"

The green haired man stepped backwards again and his back hit something solid. He glanced behind him shakily and noticed that the principal had guided him into the school wall. He could run no further. Zoro licked his lips and then tentatively opened his mouth. "But… but Luffy – "

The greasy haired man snorted and stared at Zoro in disbelief. "Luffy? Luffy?" He chortled and slapped his thigh a few times. Then he slammed his palm into the wall right beside Zoro's head with so much force that it stripped away all of Zoro's previous thoughts and focused solely upon the fear in his heart. The principal snarled, "Luffy isn't your friend. I offered him a deal he couldn't refuse and he played the role of 'good friend'." The principal smirked. "Not a bad actor, eh?"

Zoro's eyes widened fearfully. It couldn't be true… Luffy couldn't have been acting… it wasn't possible… was it?

The greasy haired man continued to speak with his acid words that burned holes through Zoro's reconstructed heart. "Luffy came to me today. He told me where he lived and that you were there. Alone. You see? He's betrayed you. You can't trust him at all. You are alone… no one _cares_ for you." The principal gripped the green haired man by his new hair cut and smashed the man's head against the wall. "You are… a _nobody_."

His head throbbed in pain and his vision was blurring from the impact of his head against the wall. But, Zoro still had one question left before he was willing to let Luffy go… it was a dream too good to let go… too good to be true… "But… why…?"

The principal smiled, "Simple. He doesn't like you. And his sole purpose was to make you despair even more. To make you grow to your potential. You see how I am trying to help you? How I am your only friend you can trust…?"

Zoro sunk against the wall, feeling empty and limp. He could feel the principal lift him up in his arms and he saw him bring him into the school building and into the elevator, down and down, into the depths of the school basement. To his solid cage once again… But none of this mattered. Only one thought ran through his head.

_Luffy… why didn't you like me…?_

**.:.**

A humming noise was ringing in the air, buzzing along the walls, ever present. Luffy woke to darkness, blinking blindly. What? Where was he…? It was so dark… he didn't know if he were standing or lying down against something. He moved his body, wondering if he could move anywhere. The boy frowned as his hands were shackled high above his head against what felt like a wall. His legs could move though… The boy twisted and turned, grunting from the effort of trying to move his arms or release himself from the chains, but they were just too tight on him. The boy pouted in annoyance and lay against the wall, slightly exhausted. Why the heck was he here…? In all this darkness and shackled to the wall?

The boy suddenly heard the sound of something opening to his right. He looked up, wondering who it possibly could be and why they were entering such a dark place. Come to think of it… even the place where they entered in from was dark… How did these people move and work in all this blackness? As these thoughts ran through Luffy's head, the person who he heard walked towards him with slow footsteps. And then he felt something unexpectedly heavy land into his stomach. The impact sent the air gushing out through his lungs and the pain choked his throat so he couldn't breath. Luffy's head and legs lurched forward from the blow and when he fell back against the wall, he coughed and took a few deep breaths to regain his bearings. What the heck? Why was this person punching him? Who was this person? He glared into the darkness, head snapping from side to side, trying to figure out the position of the person now. "Where - ?" A punch to his cheek silenced him and caused him to bite the side of his tongue. As the taste of blood pooled in his mouth, Luffy stayed still and listened carefully for his attacker. The last thing he remembered before waking up here was fighting against the principal… and then… he'd been knocked out and brought here… Had the principal hired a person to come beat him up for ever time…? His eyes narrowed. The principal knew that he had been the one to free Zoro… and so now he was being beat up for it? The boy smirked and closed his eyes. That was fine… as long as Zoro was safe now… He could slowly work his way out of this torture prison. As long as they didn't find Zoro and take him back. As long as the green haired man was safe…

He felt something solid smash into his groin and the boy choked as he felt it grind and press down against his tender parts. A burning and wrenching pain twisted in his lower stomach and he bit his lip so as not to cry out in pain. And then, through the pain, a fearful thought occurred to him. What if Zoro wasn't safe…? His eyes widened in surprise and another fist slammed into his stomach mercilessly, sending his spittle and blood flying from his mouth. What if the principal knew where he lived and went to capture Zoro again…? The boy's eyes went round in fear. He had to get out of here as fast as possible…! He had to make sure Zoro was safe… and when he knew that Zoro was safe, he'd take the green haired man out of this country. They'd escape together and disappear from the principal… to a place where Zoro could learn to open up and trust others.

His torturer was sending a barrage of kicks and punches to his face and stomach now and the boy started to go numb under the quick succession of blows. He could barely catch his breath between each blow but he knew that his attacker would grow tired sooner or later. He could hold out until then… When the person had considerably slowed, Luffy grinned and waited for the next blow to come. They would go for his head because the person seemed to have a pattern in his delivery of punches and kicks. Punch the stomach, punch the face, kick the crotch, kick the stomach, punch the face and then punch the stomach again. What a simpleton… Luffy smirked and felt the leg retract from his stomach and he could hear the shooting sound of his attacker's fist coming for him. At the last minute, the boy drew his head back so that the man only managed to cut a few strands of his bangs. The dark haired boy grinned manically, which seemed to stop the attacker in his tracks. Luffy smiled knowingly and blew on the strand of hair that had been cut off. It floated in the air for a moment before disappearing in a puff of dust. And then Luffy grinned.

"Good bye."

It was the attacker's turn to have wide eyes. He watched as the boy suddenly walked forward. And just as he thought the boy would be pulled back by the chains around his wrists, he witnessed the sight of the dark haired boy's arms stretch longer and grow thin like gum. The attacker tripped over himself and shuffled backwards, as far as possible from the monster who was constantly walking closer towards him. Luffy smirked and moved forward, advancing slowly upon the man he had heard fall onto his back. He was having quite some fun teasing his torturer. "Neehee." And his hands slipped out from the chains, snapping back to his sides like a tennis ball attached to a rubber string and paddle. He drew back his hand far behind him and then let it bounce forward, punching the spot where he thought he had heard the man fall and shuffle back to. His fist connected squarely with the face of the person, completely knocking the man out cold. Luffy smiled as his arm snapped back in place. Great! He was out! Now all he needed to do was check and see if Zoro was still safe at home. He stretched his arms out, searching for the door out of the prison, and then he pulled himself over, thanking his temporary rubber powers for being such a helpful asset. Now… where was he…?

The black haired boy stumbled through the dark, feeling along the solid walls, searching for a way out of the darkness. Why was it so dark down here…? Had the principal taken him back down to the crystal caves? He smiled. If he was down there, then since he was in the dark, the exit to the surface should be nearby…! As he felt along the walls and stumbled over a few stones, which he assumed were crystals, the boy frowned. Something seemed wrong… he never remembered stumbling over any crystals in the dark passage… and wait… if these were crystals, shouldn't they be glowing at least faintly in the dark…? His foot hit another stone and he peered down at it. Everything was dark. He couldn't see anything at all. Then, it occurred to him. Could the principal… have blinded him…? Using Zoro's magic? He gulped and then felt along the walls nervously. If that was so… then… how was he supposed to reach home again? If he cast magic on himself that allowed him to see in the dark… he would fall asleep again, wouldn't he? And then it might be too late… Luffy grit his teeth and hastily felt along the walls, moving through his darkness. Although he was blinded, he could still listen, touch, and smell. And as long as he had those senses left, he would not give up on returning to Zoro. Never give up! Never.

**.:.**

He had been moving for a long time now… it felt as if he had been circling around in the darkness for hours and hours on end. How many times could Zoro have been found by now? Luffy cursed and anxiously patted his hands against the walls, paying close attention to his fingers, searching and searching for the exit. His fingers curled around the wall and Luffy's heart beat quickly, excited by this new shift. The boy turned into the wall and expected a step to be there. But, instead he found more wall to follow along and no steps to climb. The boy sighed, turning with the wall. It was only another turn. Only another one. It wasn't the exit… Luffy carried on in his slow march, feeling along the walls with a concentration he never knew he had. He had tried many ways already. He had tried searching along the walls as he was doing now, he had tried walking across the room to see if he would bump into the steps. He had even tried running around in frustration, aimlessly bumping into everything and anything, trying to find the exit. But the black haired boy returned to the first way, feeling that this was probably the most efficient way…unless if he had been circling around this one wall for the entire time… Luffy yelled in annoyance and gripped at his hair. Being blind sure was tough! How did Zoro manage to live with it? Not knowing what were the things attacking him and where he was… The boy shook his head. That's why he had to reach Zoro as fast as possible! To prevent that from happening to Zoro ever again. Suddenly, he felt a gust of cold wind blowing from his left. Luffy blinked blindly and started moving towards the cold, arms extended out in front of him. If there was cold wind… there would be… His feet touched something cold and wet and the boy smiled. There would be snow and the surface!

Luffy moved forward hastily, following the cold wind and wet snow. As the boy walked, he could feel the floor sloping upwards. Up and up, as if to the sky and to the heavens. The wind was growing colder and the snow was getting thicker and harder to walk through as he climbed up the slope, panting slightly. When he reached the top of the slope, he could hear the wind whistling past his ears and the occasional small chirps from the outdoor birds. Luffy smiled and took a step forward. But there was no supporting ground for him to step on. And so, the dark haired boy tumbled down the snowy slope, feeling the snow fall into his uniform as he tumbled, freezing his entire body. Luffy felt his side hit hard into something solid and thin and he gasped from the impact of being stopped by such a stiff object. The boy grabbed the pole and pulled himself up slowly. He noticed how rough and coarse it felt. A tree…? Was he really outside? The birds chirped to him again and he leaned against the tree-like object, looking around him, wondering which forest he was in. Was it the one close to his house…? If so, then he could easily get back! But he needed some help… he didn't know where he was in the forest or which forest he was in. If only he could find someone… someone he could ask for directions…

Suddenly, an idea occurred to him. The boy smiled and plucked a strand of hair from his head and then whispered a few words to it before blowing it into the skies. He felt quite a large amount of energy sucked out of him, but he could still stand properly. The boy nodded to himself and then he glanced in the direction of the chirping birds.

"Excuse me! Do you know if I'm close to school?" Luffy asked as politely as possible and waited for the birds to answer. There was a cold silence for a moment and the black haired boy's expectant eyes lowered to the ground. So it wouldn't work, huh…

'Who are you…?' One bird chirped.

'He's a human who is speaking to us, you idiot.' Another chimed in from another tree.

'He looks lost. You think we should help him?' A low hoot came from the tree behind Luffy.

'Does he even understand us…?' The second bird chimed again, slightly irritated.

Luffy blinked a few times but then a wide grin spread across his lips. His magic was working! But he didn't know how long it would work… so he had to talk fast. "Yes, I do understand you… I need a little help, do you think you can help me find my way back home?"

'Aw, he's a little human who can't find his way back home.' The first bird chirped softly.

'Where must you go, boy?' The hooting voice echoed through the forest again. Luffy drew a small picture with his fingers in mid air.

"It's a small cottage made of wood just at the edge of the forest."

'Which forest…?' The low hoot spoke again, uncertainly. Luffy's eyebrows furrowed together in thought. Which forest…? There were two forests… one to the west of the school and one to the east… if he was right about it, then his house was probably made next to…

"I think it's the East Forest." The boy spoke, scratching his head.

'East forest, that's here…' The first bird spoke quietly.

'I don't remember seeing such a place…' The third bird spoke in a low tone.

As Luffy listened to each bird's comments, he slowly felt his hopes sinking to the pit of his stomach again. But then, he heard the chiming voice of the second bird very close to him all of a sudden.

'Oh, I know that place…'

Luffy's eyes widened in surprise, his stomach flopping around, sending the hope rising into his lungs again. "You do? Then, you'll help me?" He stared eagerly towards the direction of the second bird. And he heard the bird click his feet against a tree branch, as if considering the favor. Then, Luffy heard the bird continue.

'Sure, blinded one.' The dark haired boy blinked once, wondering how the bird had known he had been blinded. 'Follow my voice…' Luffy nodded obediently and moved towards the bird's voice. After a few times of bumping into trees and stumbling over piles of snow, he heard the little bird chirp to him from a place in the distance. It sounded like the bird was perched on top of something large and the area surrounding the bird was spacious. Luffy grinned and raced towards the voice of the bird, his face hitting the door of his cottage. The boy smiled happily, glad to be back to his home.

"Thank you!" Luffy looked up to the roof, knowing that the bird was probably perched up there, ruffling its feathers. The boy smiled as the bird chirped back in annoyance, slightly embarrassed by the praise. The bird stayed on its perch, glancing curiously down at the boy, waiting to see what the boy would do.

Luffy sighed and nodded to himself. This was it. He was finally here! He grabbed the handle of the door, hoping that Zoro was still inside. That he was still safe… When he opened the door, he heard no sounds of anyone inside. The terrible gnawing feeling of panic rose in Luffy's chest again and he stepped inside, listening for any sound of movement. "Zoroooo….?" He called out softly, hoping beyond hope that the green haired man was just sleeping and hadn't heard him. The black haired boy stepped forward, staring around the room blindly. If only he hadn't been blind, he would have seen the terrible mess his home was in now…

The raven haired boy took a few steps forward and then his foot hit something hard. He blinked and crouched down, extending a finger to poke the hard thing. But he accidentally poked something sharp and it stabbed into his finger painfully, drawing blood. "Itei." He withdrew his hand quickly and sucked on the blood, wondering why there was a sharp object in the middle of his room. Luffy stood up again, feeling the dread creeping up on him. How he wished he could see right now! How he wished he could see! What had happened in here? Where was Zoro? "Zoro!" The boy shuffled forward, calling the green haired man's name. "Zoroooooo!" His feet squashed into something and he crouched down again, trying to find out what it was. The boy sniffed at it and recognized the smell of the cheese he had given Zoro that morning… Luffy frowned. Zoro would've eaten everything… he said he would take care of it…! The dark haired boy narrowed his eyes. Zoro wasn't in here anymore… and whoever had taken him had dared to do so only mere seconds after he had left home…! Luffy's fist clenched tight and he stood up, a furious look on his face. The boy trudged out the door, a steely look in his eyes. He glanced up at the roof, sensing the bird perched there, ruffling its feathers.

"Take me back." Luffy spoke in a determined tone. He was going to get Zoro back.

**.:.**

The bird had led him back to the opening in the ground and Luffy thanked the bird politely before slipping down the shaft and back into the crystalline caves. The bird chimed and stood at the edge of the cave entrance. That blinded human… was he going in to rescue a friend…? The little bird stood on the edge and peered in curiously. He was blind, how would he find his way through that place…? Another bird came to sit next to the one already perched on the lip of the cave.

'You want to go after him…?'

The little bird gave no answer to the other bird who had arrived and merely continued to watch the darkness of the cave below. The second bird who had arrived sighed and ruffled her feathers before pumping her wings and taking off back into the trees. She landed on a bare branch and glanced back in concern, towards the bird who had helped the blinded boy find his way to his home and then back again. The bird was gone. She blinked once, tilting her head to the side in surprise. And then she smiled.

**.:.**

Luffy slid down the slope of snow and landed at the bottom, painfully. He rubbed his bottom and quickly got to his feet, patting off his pants and glancing from darkness to darkness, wondering which direction he should head in. Suddenly, he heard a chirping noise and his eyes grew round in surprise. He recognized the chiming sound of the bird who had helped him and he smiled when felt the bird perch comfortably on his shoulder. The bird ruffled his feathers in aggravation and folded his wings on his back, staring at Luffy, as if asking him what they would do now.

"I need to find a man with green hair. He should be in a place that's glowing with lots of big crystals… you think you can help me?" The bird chimed loudly and nodded its head, keeping a watchful eye open for anything. The dark haired boy smiled and started walking in one direction, trusting the bird to help him find his way. After many turns and twists, the bird found a source of light coming from large crystals. The bird chirped and then puffed its feathers up, trying to look brave against the strange scenery. Luffy heard the bird's chirp and could feel the little animal's heart beating quickly. Almost as quickly as his own. Would he have to battle it out against the principal to free Zoro…? Or was there a way he could sneak in and break the green haired man free again? The black haired boy moved forward slowly, moving his hands along the walls and feeling the pulsating energy of the crystals fade and grow stronger and fade again, like waves… The boy felt another corner in the wall and edged around it, turning around the wall. The bird on his shoulder glanced around and then spotted a green haired person slouched against the wall. He looked like he… was dead! Luffy heard the bird chirp erratically and it flew off of Luffy's shoulder and straight out in front of him. The boy quickly followed after, his gut lurching nervously in his stomach. What had the bird seen that made him have such a reaction? Had he found Zoro…? He ran forward blindly for a few seconds before slamming into a wall and bouncing off of it and onto the ground. The bird flapped its wings and landed on the ground, staring from the motionless green haired man inside the crystal wall to the black haired boy lying in a ground in a heap. Luffy picked himself up, rubbing his forehead, and he groaned. "Are you telling me that Zoro is in there…?" The bird chimed in assertion. That was all the boy needed. Luffy patted the wall with his palms. It seemed more thicker than the last one… he wouldn't be able to break through it with the power he had left in his body…

"Oi! Zoro!" He shouted desperately, pounding at the wall with his hands. The man wasn't answering… was the wall really that thick? He pounded harder against the wall. "Zoro!" The green haired man jolted from his sleep and lifted his head up from his chest, glancing towards the wall tiredly. He could see the familiar lanky figure of the black haired boy, pounding on the walls. Ah… he must've been dreaming again. It was impossible for Luffy to come and save him again… The man sighed and fell back against the wall again. Luffy frowned, eyebrows creasing together in worry. Why wasn't Zoro answering? Was he all right? If only he could see him…

The bird chirped and Luffy smiled sadly. "Is he ok…? I can't understand you right now, but… he's all right, right…?" The bird glanced towards the green haired man, shifting from awkward position to another awkward position, looking pitiful and completely shut off. The bird chirped quietly in answer to Luffy's question. The boy sighed. He wasn't sure if that was a yes or no… maybe it was a yes and a no…? But he wanted to save Zoro from this prison… so why wasn't the man answering him right now? Weren't they good friends? Why didn't Zoro cooperate with him? He slammed a hand against the wall again, trying to gain the man's attention. _Answer me, you idiot! Answer me!_ He pounded at the walls, blindly peering in, hoping he was looking in the right direction.

Zoro woke from his sleep again. He was having too many dreams about Luffy. This time he had one where Luffy was pounding on the walls of his prison, desperately yelling his name. The man sighed and curled up, putting his head on his knees. He could never fall into a decent sleep anymore, could he? He should really just forget the boy… and accept his fate. At least he could see now… he even knew that he could leave his prison whenever he wanted because Luffy had taught him how much power he held. He could easily create a door in the crystal wall and find his way out. But… what did all that matter since the one who had saved him didn't care for him at all…? The man sighed and covered his head with his hands. His fingers touched his shortly cropped hair and he smiled sadly, remembering the memories of the boy's fingers raking through his hair gently, giving him a haircut. It had only been a little while... he had only spent a few days with the boy… but he would miss Luffy so much… even if it were only a dream.

The pounding on the walls shook Zoro from his thoughts and his head shot up in surprise, staring through the crystal wall and straight at a familiar black haired boy. The green haired man swallowed and froze in his seat, staring at Luffy with wide eyes. What was he doing down here again? He felt a tirade of anger rise in his chest as he watched the boy pounding desperately at the wall. What, was the boy going to save him again and then betray his trust once more? Was this all just a game for the boy? Did Luffy really hate him that much? The man rose to his feet slowly and patted off his pants. Then he crossed his hands over his chest and spoke in a low and icy voice that he didn't even know he was capable of speaking in. "What do you want with me?"

Luffy froze, staring at the wall of crystal, eyes clouded and blinking rapidly. "Zoro - ?"

"I said, what do you want with me?" The cold voice repeated. Luffy paused and shook his head. The bird must've been mistaken. The voice seemed like Zoro's but this was definitely not the Zoro he knew. The black haired boy set his jaw in a firm line, unsure of what to do at the moment. Zoro snorted and he walked closer towards Luffy. "Why are you here? You don't even like me, right?"

The black haired boy clutched the wall tightly with his hands, as if that could help him reach the other side. He could hear the hurt in Zoro's voice although the man tried to hide it with his cold tone and all he wanted to do now was hold the green haired man and tell him everything was ok. Zoro was hurting so much… and yet he had so little power left to protect him… What exactly had happened to the man while he was gone…? Why did Zoro think that he didn't like him? "Zoro, I do li – !"

"SHUT UP!" The man cut the boy off, growling angrily, fists clenching together. His heart ached with every word he spoke, but he didn't want to be repeatedly led on by the false illusion that someone cared for him. Zoro looked away from the wall, trying to avoid Luffy's gaze. "Don't you do that to me again…"

Luffy stared into the darkness, only hearing the loud words coming from Zoro's mouth, telling him to shut up. He froze on his legs, suddenly not really sure why he was here or what he was doing anymore. He felt numb. He was a nobody again… a nobody. His classmates didn't think he existed, the teachers didn't acknowledge his existence, and now Zoro… Zoro… he couldn't even see the man standing on the other side… Zoro… didn't want to be with him anymore…

The bird watched the two boys silently, large black eyes staring from one to the other in concern. He turned to look up at Luffy and nearly jumped back in surprise as he found tears, tears glowing from the crystal light, flowing softly and silently down the dark haired boy's cheeks. The bird chirped erratically and Zoro looked up, slightly surprised from hearing such a noise down in the dark caves under the school. But when he looked up, instead of finding the source of the sound of the bird like chirps, he found a shell of a boy standing beyond the crystal barrier, crying silently before him. His feet were glued to the floor, entranced by the tears running down from Luffy's eyes. And as Zoro watched the boy cry, the silver looking tears dripping down his chin and to the floor, he wondered, why was that boy shedding tears? Such a strong and confident person… who could have possibly made him cry? Who had made those tears run down those soft cheeks so freely…?

Something in Zoro's gut twisted. Something at the back of his mind told him that _he_ was the one who was making the boy cry. The boy was crying… because of him…? The green haired man stood rooted to the spot, He wanted to rip away the wall between them and wipe away those tears from Luffy's child-like face. But, he didn't know if Luffy wouldn't turn around and stab him in the back. Some people could shed tears that were not genuine… but Luffy… would he do that…? He watched the boy carefully, wondering what he should do. The two were both frozen to their places. One fighting an internal struggle, the other waiting and sadly starting to accept that the man on the other side did not want to care for him. The bird stood in his spot on the ground, staring at Luffy in concern. And then Zoro noticed how the black haired boy wasn't looking completely straight at him. A rising panic rose in the green haired man's chest and his feet moved all on its own. In a split second, he was standing at the wall, hands pressed against the solid surface, staring deep into the boy's eyes, observing Luffy intensely. Luffy could feel a warmth on the other side of the wall and he hastily moved his hands around the wall, feeling for the spots of warmth. Zoro watched as Luffy fumbled around, trying to match both of his hands against his own. The boy's eyes weren't moving… and they were cloudy… The green haired man's eyes darted back and forth worriedly, observing the boy who smiled weakly as he finally managed to match both of their hands together, much like the first time they had met, through the wall. Why were Luffy's eyes covered in a layer of cloud…? Someone… had blinded him…?

"Luffy… what happened to you…?" Zoro whispered, leaning his forehead against the crystal wall, staring down into the boy's eyes and face. The boy hadn't been blind when he had left the house… so that must've meant that something had happened during school…! But… the scarred man had told him that Luffy was in class…? How would he get blinded in class? Zoro studied the boy's face a little longer, remembering every edge and line of his face. One side of his face seemed swollen… as if he had been punched repeatedly. Zoro's eyes widened as he stared at the boy who smiled into the distance, tears drying on his face. Here he was, doubting the trust he had in Luffy, while the boy had been blinded and been beaten by someone…? The green haired man's eyes hardened and he withdrew his hands from the wall, plucking a piece of short green hair from his head. He had doubted Luffy for far too long. Never again… never again would he doubt the boy… "Give me the power to protect Luffy…" He blew the strand of hair from his fingers and the little bird blinked in surprise as he felt something powerful spiral down and around the cave. It felt as if all the life energy in the cave had concentrated on this one point so that the green haired man, standing in the middle of it all, could use it at his dispense.

When the warmth on the other side of the wall had disappeared, Luffy had grown afraid again. But then, the man's determined yet gentle words afterwards completely soothed him. The black haired boy closed his eyes and smiled as he heard Zoro blow the air and when he felt that powerful feeling he had felt the first time Zoro used his magic on his own eyes, Luffy's smile grew wider. The Zoro he knew was back again…!

The green haired man stared at the crystal wall in front of him in annoyance and with a quick wave of his hand, the wall vanished. Not even a hint of the crystal wall had been left behind. The little bird's eyes widened and watched as the thick crystal disappeared, as if it had only been an illusion or hadn't existed at all. Zoro smirked and stepped towards the smiling black haired boy, the one who held so much significance in his heart. The green haired man lifted his fingers to wipe away the tears on Luffy's face and he smiled gently. Luffy gasped as Zoro's touch left his cheeks tingling. The boy smiled and closed his eyes, grinning widely. Then the boy opened his eyes again and moved timidly towards the green haired man. Zoro chuckled and waved a hand over Luffy's eyes and the cloudiness faded away, bringing the shine back into those bright brown eyes. Luffy blinked a few times, adjusting to his ability to see again. He felt slightly disoriented and almost fell forward. But when he fell, Zoro quickly caught him and held the boy close against him. Luffy felt the warm hands wrapped around him and the boy smiled happily, enclosing his own arms around Zoro's torso. The two held each other tightly, heart beating in time together, both silently knowing that the bond of trust that they shared today would last for an eternity.

The little bird chirped and flew towards the two young men, landing comfortably on Luffy's shoulder. Zoro released the boy and Luffy smiled, moving back from the man who had vowed to protect him. The raven haired boy grinned widely and then put his hands on his hips. "Right then. Now that I've been kicked out of school and it's not safe for Zoro or me to stay here, let's go on an adventure!"

Zoro blinked in surprise. What? An adventure…? Luffy merely smiled back at the green haired man, who watched the boy with a confused look.

"Right, let's head back home and pack up for our trip!"

Zoro's eyes almost turned into dots. "Pack up…?"

"Yep!" Luffy smiled happily, moving on with vigor and energy, as if he hadn't just suffered a great emotional trauma. Zoro watched in disbelief as the boy walked off into the caves, smiling and tickling the bird perched on his shoulder. But then the green haired man snorted and followed after, feeling completely at ease. Whatever, it didn't have to make sense. He'd just follow Luffy wherever he went. It was that simple. The man moved to follow the boy but then one of his knees buckled and he fell to the ground, blinking in surprise. Luffy heard the fall and quickly spun around on his feet. The boy hurried back to Zoro's side and helped the man stand back up. "Zoro…? Are you ok…?"

The green haired man smiled and managed to stop his leg from wobbling too much. "Yeah… yeah, I'm fine." He stilled the leg and stood up straight, giving Luffy a small reassuring smile. "I must've used too much magic for today…"

Luffy frowned, staring at Zoro in concern. Right, the man had cured his own eyesight, had removed a gigantic wall and made it vanish into thin air, and cured his eyes from blindness as well… That was way more than what a normal person should do for a day… The black haired boy sighed and didn't say anything, knowing that Zoro probably knew what he would say. Luffy merely offered an arm out and gave the man a smile. The green haired man glanced at the arm and smirked, nodding to the boy thankfully. And then the two hobbled their way out of the caves together, each leaning against the other.

**.:.**

Luffy and Zoro stood a few meters away from the school, staring at the silver cross and lily flower insignia, gleaming back at them. They both held a rucksack for each of them, one filled with food supplies, the other full of the little amount of possessions Luffy owned. Luffy tugged at Zoro's jacket and smiled, pointing towards the school and the green haired man nodded, smiling back. The man plucked a hair from his head and blew it in the direction of the school. At once the snowy earth seemed to pulsate with life and the trees all bent in one direction, following a gust of wind towards the school.

The red haired professor flipped through his textbook idly, feeling a little sad for no particular reason. And then suddenly, as if some gear had clicked itself back in place, he stopped mid flip and looked up from the book, feeling as if he had just fallen out from a dream.

"Luffy…?" He blinked a few times and then glanced out the window curiously. The red haired man noticed two figures standing in the snow, all by themselves… Then the professor smiled and returned to flipping his book.

Zoro glanced towards the black haired boy standing beside him. He smirked as he noticed the boy's far off gaze. He must've had a few good memories here… Luffy stared at the room where he had spoken to the red haired professor only a few days ago. He remembered falling asleep in that same room, dreaming of distant lands away from this country of snow. And then… he had met Zoro… this strange, yet wonderful green haired man who cared for him just as much as he cared for him. Luffy sent a grin towards Zoro, who blinked a little, wondering why the boy was suddenly looking at him. And then the dark haired boy took the man by his hands and pulled him towards the snowy path between the east forest and the west forest. Towards their new journey in an open world and ever winding path before them.

**.:.**


End file.
